mBm
V
JE S O P'S FABLES.
ILLUSTRATED BY
ERNEST GRISET.
THE OWL AND THE GRASSHOPPER.
[Sse Page 199.
/ESOP'S FABLES
ILLUSTRATED BY
ERNEST GRISET.
WITH TEXT BASED CHIEFLY UPON
CROXALL, LA FONTAINE, AND L'ESTRANGE.
REVISED AND RE-WRITTEN BY
J. B. RUN DELL.
LONDON :
CASSELL, FETTER, AND GALFIN
AND 596, BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
EDITOR'S PREFACE.
" 'Twas the Golden Age, when every brute
Had voice articulate, in speech was skilled,
And the mid-forests with its synods filled.
The tongues of rock and pine-leaf then were free ;
To ship and sailor then would speak the sea ;
Sparrows with farmers would shrewd talk maintain ;
Earth gave all fruits, nor asked for toil again.
Mortals and gods were wont to mix as friends.
To which conclusion all the teaching tends
Of sage old y£sop."
BABRIUS. Proem I.
IT is probable that Fables which have passed current under
the name of yEsop for two thousand years, will continue to bear
his name as long as fables shall retain their power to instruct
and charm — in other words, as long as men remain in need
of instruction and reproof, and are impatient of their recep
tion. Truth, however, calls for the assertion, that the connection
of JEsop with the collection known by his name is very slight.
Nearly all that can be said with certainty is, " that there is
abundant proof that fables passing under the name of -^Esop
were current and popular in Athens during the most brilliant
period of its literary history, and not much more than a century
after the death of the supposed author." We are further told, on
good authority, that of AL sop's works, " none are extant, and of
his life scarcely anything is known."
What is known of the life of ALsop is briefly this : — He was
EDITORS PREFACE.
disfigured by unnecessary licence of expression, and now obsolete
idiom. The second contains much quaint humour, but the Fables
are of unequal merit, and at times are lengthy and somewhat
wearisome.
In revising these editions to suit modern tastes and current
modes of expression, no principle has been followed save that
of trying to exhibit each Fable in its liveliest and most attractive
dress. To this end, in some cases, almost the exact words of
Croxall and L' Estrange are given ; in others, the versions of these
authors have been added to, altered, or curtailed ; while in not a
few the dress is almost, if not altogether, new.
J. B. R.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE OWL AND THE GRASSHOPPER
Frontispiece
THE Two FROGS i
THE STAG LOOKING INTO THE POOL 3 j
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB 5
THE CAT AND THE MICE 8
THE DOG AND HIS SHADOW ... 9
THE STAG IN THE OX-STALL ... 11
THE HAWK AND THE NIGHTINGALE 13
THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE SNAKE 17
THE WIND AND THE SUN 19
THE LION AND THE MOUSE ... 21
THE LEOPARD AND THE Fox ... 25
THE WOLF AND THE CRANE ... 29
THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE
Sow 32
THE Fox AND THE STORK 33
THE TRAVELLER AND THE BEAR ... 37
THE Fox AND THE SICK LION ... 41
THE Fox WITHOUT A TAIL 45
THE MAN AND HIS GOOSE ... ... 48
THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE ... 49
THE Fox AND THE MASK 51
THE LION, THE TIGER, AND THE Fox 53
THE VAIN JACKDAW ... 57
THE Fox AND THE JACKDAW ... 59
THE Fox AND THE COUNTRYMAN... 61
THE Ass, THE DOG, AND THE WOLF 64
THE Fox AND THE APE 65
THE MOUNTAIN IN LABOUR ... 69
THE MOUSE AND THE WEASEL ... 71
PAGE
THE DOG IN THE MANGER 73
THE FROGS DESIRING A KING ... 77
THE HUSBANDMAN AND HIS SONS... 80
THE BOAR AND THE Ass 81
THE PORCUPINE AND THE SNAKES 82
THE EAGLE AND THE Fox 85
THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES 89
THE GOATHERD AND THE SHE-GOAT 91
MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN ... 93
THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY
MOUSE 97
THE PEACOCK AND THE MAGPIE ... 99
THE Fox AND. THE GRAPES 101
THE SENSIBLE Ass ... 105
THE EAGLE AND THE CROW ... 109
THE GNAT AND THE BULL 112
THE FOWLER AND THE BLACKBIRD 113
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE ... 115
THE Fox AND THE BOAR ... ... 117
THE OLD MAN AND DEATH ... 121
THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING... 123
THE COVETOUS MAN 125
THE ANGLER AND THE LITTLE FISH 129
THE Fox AND THE COCK 133
THE LION, THE Fox, AND THE WOLF 136
THE MAN AND HIS WOODEN GOD... 137
THE KNIGHT AND HIS CHARGER ... 139
THE BEAR AND THE BEEHIVES ... 141
THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER 145
THE LION AND THE ELEPHANT ... 147
THE WOLVES AND THE SICK Ass ... 149
Xll
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
THE SPARROW AND THE HARE ... 153
THE Ass CARRYING AN IDOL ... 155
THE KID AND THE WOLF 157
THE HORSE AND THE LION ... 161
THE OLD HOUND 165
^SOP AND HIS FELLOW-SERVANTS 168
THE FOWLER AND THE LARK ... 169
THE GOAT AND THE LION 173
THE LOCUSTS AND THE GRASS
HOPPER 176
THE WOLF, THE SHE-GOAT, AND THE
KID " 177
THE Fox AND THE CROW 181
THE SEA AND THE RIVERS 184
THE Fox AND THE LION 185
THE Ass AND THE LION HUNTING 189
THE Fox AND THE HEDGEHOG ... 192
THE CAT AND THE Fox 193
THE MASTER AND THE SCHOLAR ... 195
THE FROG AND THE Fox : 197
THE OLD WOMAN AND THE EMPTY
CASK 200
THE SATYR AND THE TRAVELLER 201
THE WOLF AND THE MASTIFF ... 205
THE Two TRAVELLERS AND THE
OYSTER 208
THE Ass IN THE LION'S SKIN ... 209
THE MAID AND THE PAIL OF MILK 211
THE THIEF AND THE DOG 213
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER ... 217
THE LION AND THE FOUR BULLS... 221
THE EAGLE AND THE OWL 224
THE MERRY -ANDREW AND THE
COUNTRYMAN 225
THE OLD MAN, HIS SON, AND THE
Ass ... 227
THE OLD LION 229
THE FIR-TREE AND THE BRAMBLE 233
THE NURSE AND THE WOLF ... 237
THE ANT AND THE CHRYSALIS ... 240
THE
FABLES OF
THE TWO FROGS.
ONE hot summer, the lake in which two Frogs lived was
completely dried up, and they were obliged to set off in
search of water elsewhere. Coming to a deep and
deliciously cool well, one of the Frogs proposed that they
should jump in at once. "Wait a bit," cried the other;
"if that should dry up, how could we get out again?"
ors FABLES.
JUPITER AND THE CAMEL.
THE Camel once upon a time complained to Jupiter that
he was not as well served as he ought to be in the means
of defence and offence. " The bull," said he, " has horns,
the boar, tusks, and the lion and tiger, formidable claws
and fangs that make them feared and respected on all
sides. I, on the other hand, have to put up with the
abuse of all who choose to insult me." Jupiter angrily
told him that if he would take the trouble to think, he
would see that he was endowed with qualities shared by
no other beast ; but that, as a punishment for his un
reasonable importunity, henceforward his ears should be
shortened.
THE LION HUNTING WITH OTHER
BEASTS.
A LION, a Heifer, a Goat, and a Sheep once agreed to
share whatever each might catch in hunting. A fine fat
stag fell into a snare set by the Goat, who thereupon called
the rest together. The Lion divided the stag into four
parts. Taking the best piece for himself, he said, " This
is mine of course, as I am the Lion;" taking another
portion, he added, " This too is mine by right — the right,
if you must know, of the strongest." .Further, putting
aside the third piece, "That's for the most valiant," said
he ; " and as for the remaining part, touch it if you dare."
THE STAG LOOKING INTO THE POOL.
THE STAG LOOKING INTO THE POOL.
A STAG drinking at a clear pool, admired the handsome
look of his spreading antlers, but was much displeased at
the slim and ungainly appearance of his legs. " What a
glorious pair of branching horns ! " said he. " How grace
fully they hang over my forehead ! What an agreeable air
they give my face ! But as for my spindle-shanks of legs,
I am heartily ashamed of them." The words were scarcely
out of his mouth, when he saw some huntsmen and a pack
of hounds making towards him. His despised legs soon
placed him at a distance from his followers, but, on
entering the forest, his horns got entangled at every turn,
so that the dosfs soon reached him and made an end of
o
him. "Mistaken fool that I was!" he exclaimed; "had
it not been for these wretched horns my legs would have
saved my life."
^ sors FABLES.
THE COCK AND THE JEWEL.
A BRISK young Cock scratching for something with which
to entertain his favourite hens, happened to turn up a jewel.
Feeling quite sure that it was something precious, but not
knowing well what to do with it, he addressed it with an
air of affected wisdom as follows : — " You are a very fine
thing, no doubt, but you are not at all to my taste. For
my part, I would rather have one grain of dear delicious
barley than all the jewels in the world."
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.
A HUNGRY Wolf one day saw a Lamb drinking at a
stream, and wished to frame some plausible excuse for
making him his prey. " What do you mean by muddling
the water I am going to drink ? " fiercely said he to the
Lamb. " Pray forgive me," meekly answered the Lamb ;
" I should be sorry in any way to displease you, but as
the stream runs from you towards me, you will see that
such cannot be the case." " That's all very well," said the
Wolf; "but you know you spoke ill of me behind my
back a year ago/' " Nay, believe me," replied the Lamb,
" I was not then born." " It must have been your
brother then," growled the Wolf. " It cannot have been,
for I never had any," answered the Lamb. " I know it
was one of your lot," rejoined the Wolf, " so make no
more such idle excuses." He then seized the poor Lamb,
carried him off to the woods, and ate him.
THE WOLF AND THE LAMD
THE CAT AND THE MICE.
THE PEACOCK'S COMPLAINT.
THE Peacock complained to Juno that while every one
laughed at his voice, an insignificant creature like the
Nightingale had a note that delighted everybody. Juno,
angry at the unreasonableness of her favourite bird, scolded
him in the following terms : " Envious bird that you are,
I am sure you have no cause to complain. On your neck
shine all the colours of the rainbow, and your extended
tail shows like a mass of gems. No living being has
every good thing to its own share. The falcon is endowed
with swiftness, the eagle, strength, the parrot, speech, the
raven, the gift of augury, and the nightingale with a
melodious note, while you have both size and beauty.
Cease then to complain, or the gifts you have shall be
taken away."
THE CAT AND THE MICE.
A CERTAIN house was much infested by Mice ; the owner
brought home a Cat, a famous mouser, who soon made
such havoc amon^ the little folk, that those who remained
o
resolved they would never leave the upper shelves. The
Cat grew hungry and thin in consequence, and, driven to
FABLES.
her wit's end, hung by her hind legs to a peg in the wall,
and pretended to be dead. An old Mouse came to the
edge of the shelf, and, seeing through the deception, cried
out, " Ah, ah, Mrs. Pussy ! We should not come near
you, even if your skin wrere stuffed writh straw."
THE ANT AND THE FLY.
THE DOG AND HIS SHADOW.
A DOG, bearing in his mouth a piece of meat that he had
stolen, was crossing a smooth stream by means of a plank.
Looking in, he saw what he took to be another dog
carrying another piece of meat. Snapping greedily to get
this as well, he let go the meat that he had, and lost it in
the stream.
THE ANT AND THE FLY.
Ax Ant and a Fly one day disputed as to their respective
merits. " Vile creeping insect ! " said the Fly to the Ant,
" can you for a moment compare yourself with me ? I
soar on the wing like a bird. I enter the palaces of
kings, and alight on the heads of princes, nay, of emperors,
I0 s£ SOP'S FABLES.
and only quit them to adorn the yet more attractive brow
of beauty. Besides, I visit the altars of the gods. Not
a sacrifice is offered but ' is first tasted by me. Every
feast, too, is open to me. I eat and drink of the best,
instead of living for days on two or three grains of corn
as you do." "All that's very fine," replied the Ant; " but
listen to me. You boast of your feasting, but you know
that your diet is not always so choice, and you are some
times forced to eat what nothing should induce me to
touch. As for alighting on the heads of kings and
emperors, you know very well that whether you pitch on
the head of an emperor, or of an ass (and it is as often on
the one as the other), you are shaken off from both with
impatience. And, then, the ' altars of the gods,' indeed !
There and everywhere else you are looked upon as
nothing but a nuisance. In the winter, too, while I feed
at my ease on the fruit of my toil, what more common
than to see your friends dying with cold, hunger, and
fatigue? I lose my time now in talking to you. Chat
tering will fill neither my bin nor my cupboard."
THE STAG IN THE OX-STALL.
A STAG, hard pressed by the hounds, ran for shelter
into an ox-stall, the door of which was open. One of the
Oxen turned round, and asked him why he came to such a
place as that, where he would be sure to be taken. The
Stag replied that he should do well enough if the Oxen
THE STAG IN THE OX-STALL. n
would not tell of him, and, covering himself in a heap of
straw, waited for the night. Several servants, and even
the Farm -Bailiff himself, came and looked round, but
saw nothing of the Stag, who, as each went away, was
ready to jump out of his skin for joy, and warmly thanked
the Oxen for their silence. The Ox who had spoken first
to him warned him not to be too sure of his escape, and
said that glad as they would all be for him to get away,
there was a certain person still to come whose eyes were a
deal sharper than the eyes of any one who had been there
yet. This was the Master himself, who, having been
dining with a neighbour, looked in on his way home to see
that all was right. At a glance he saw the tips of the horns
coming through the straw, whereupon he raised a hue and
cry, called all his people together, and made a prize of
the Stag.
12 sEsors FABLES.
THE FROG WHO WISHED TO BE AS BIG AS
AN OX.
AN Ox grazing in a meadow, chanced to set his foot on a
young Frog and crushed him to death. His brothers and
sisters, who were playing near, at once ran to tell their
mother what had happened. " The monster that did it,
mother, was such a size ! " said they. The mother, who
was a vain old thing, thought that she could easily make
herself as large. "Was it as big as this?" she asked,
blowing and puffing herself out. " Oh, much bigger than
that," replied the young Frogs. "As this then?" cried
she, puffing and blowing again with all her might. " Nay,
mother," said they; "if you were to try till you burst
yourself, you would never be so big." The silly old Frog
tried to puff herself out still more, and burst herself indeed.
THE HAWK AND THE NIGHTINGALE.
A NIGHTINGALE once fell into the clutches of a hungry
Hawk who had been all day on. the look-out for food.
" Pray let me go," said the Nightingale, " I am such a
mite for a stomach like yours. I sing so nicely too. Do
let me go, it will do you good to hear me." " Much good
it will do to an empty belly," replied the Hawk, " and
besides, a little bird that I have is more to me than a
great one that has yet to be caught."
THE HAWK AND THE NIGHTINGALE.
THE KITE AND THE PIGEONS. 15
THE BELLY AND THE MEMBERS.
THE Members of the Body once rebelled against the
Belly, who, they said, led an idle, lazy life at their
expense. The Hands declared that they would not again
lift a crust even to keep him from starving, the Mouth that
it would not take in a bit more food, the Legs that they
would carry him about no longer, and so on with the
others. The Belly quietly allowed them to follow their
own courses, well knowing that they would all soon come
to their senses, as indeed they did, when, for want of the
blood and nourishment supplied from the stomach, they
found themselves fast becoming mere skin and bone.
THE KITE AND THE PIGEONS.
A KITE that had kept sailing around a dove-cote for many
days to no purpose, was forced by hunger to have recourse
to stratagem. Approaching the Pigeons in his gentlest
manner, he tried to show them how much better their
state would be if they had a king with some firmness about
him, and how well his protection would shield them from
the attacks of the Hawk and other enemies. The Pigeons,
deluded by this show of reason, admitted him to the dove
cote as their king. They found, however, that he thought
it part of his kingly prerogative to eat one of their number
every day, and they soon repented of their credulity in
having let him in.
i6 SEsors FABLES.
THE BALD KNIGHT.
A CERTAIN Knight, who wore a wig to conceal his
baldness, was out hunting one day. A sudden gust of
wind carried away his wig, and showed his bald pate.
His friends all laughed heartily at the odd figure he
made, but the old fellow, so far from being put out,
laughed as heartily as any of them. ff Is it any wonder,"
said he, " that another man's hair shouldn't keep on my
head when my own wouldn't stay there ? "
THE MAN AND THE LION.
A MAN and a Lion once argued together as to which be
longed to the nobler race. The former called the attention
of the Lion to a monument on which was sculptured a Man
striding over a vanquished Lion. " That proves nothing
at all," said the Lion ; " if a Lion had been the carver, he
would have made the Lion striding over the Man,"
THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE SNAKE.
THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE SNAKE.
A VILLAGER, one frosty day in the depth of winter, found a
Snake under a hedge almost dead with the cold. Having
pity on the poor creature, he brought it home, and laid it
on the hearth near the fire. Revived by the heat, it reared
itself up, and with dreadful hissings flew at the wife and
children of its benefactor. The man, hearing their cries,
rushed in, and with a mattock, which he brought in his
hand, soon cut the Snake in pieces. " Vile wretch ! " said
he ; " is this the reward you make to him who saved your
life ? Die, as you deserve ; but a single death is too good
for you."
1 8 sEsors FABLES.
THE MAN AND HIS TWO WIVES.
IN a country where men could have more than one wife, a
certain man, whose head was fast becoming white, had two,
one a little older than himself, and one much younger.
The young Wife, being of a gay and lively turn, did not
want people to think that she had an old man for a
husband, and so used to pull out as many of his white
hairs as she could. The old Wife, on the other hand, did
not wish to seem older than her husband, and so used to
pull out the black hairs. This went on, until between them
both, they made the poor man quite bald.
THE FROGS AND THE FIGHTING BULLS,
A FROG one day peeping out of a lake, saw two Bulls
fighting at some distance off in the meadow. Calling to
his companions, " My dear friends," said he, " whatever
will become of us ?" " Why, what are you frightened at?"
asked one of the Frogs ; " what can their quarrels have to
do with us ? They are only fighting which shall be master
of the herd." " True," answered the first, " and it is just
that which causes my fear, for the one that is beaten will
take refuge here in the marshes, and will tread us to death."
And so it happened ; and many a Frog, in dying, had sore
proof that the fears which he had thought to be groundless
were not so in fact.
THE WIND AND THE SUN.
THE WIND AND THE SUN.
A DISPUTE once arose between the North Wind and the
Sun as to which was the stronger of the two. Seeing
a traveller on his way, they agreed to try which could
the sooner get his cloak off him. The North Wind
began, and sent a furious blast, which, at the onset,
nearly tore the cloak from its fastenings ; but the
traveller, seizing the garment with a firm grip, held it
round his body so tightly that Boreas spent his remaining
force in vain. The Sun, dispelling the clouds that had
gathered, then darted his most sultry beams on the
traveller's head. Growing faint with the heat, the man
flung off his cloak, and ran for protection to the nearest
shade.
20 sEsops FABLES.
THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG.
A CERTAIN man had a Dog which worried so many
people, that he was obliged to fasten a heavy clog about
his neck to stop him from such sport in future. This
the stupid cur took to be a mark of honourable distinction,
and grew so vain in consequence that he turned up his
nose at all the dogs he met. A sly old fellow, however,
assured him that so far from having any cause to be
proud of his burden, it was, on the contrary, a sure sign
of disgrace.
THE LION AND THE MOUSE.
A LION, tired with the chase, lay sleeping at full length
under a shady tree. Some Mice scrambling over him
while he slept, awoke him. Laying his paw upon one
of them, he was about to crush him, but the Mouse
implored his mercy in such moving terms that he let
him go. Some time after, the Lion was caught in a net
laid by some hunters, and, unable to free himself, made
the forest resound with his roars. The Mouse whose
life had been spared came, and with his little sharp teeth
soon gnawed the ropes asunder, and set the Lion free.
THE LION AND THE MOUSE.
THE BROTHER AND SISTER.
THE FATAL COURTSHIP.
IT is said that the Mouse spoken of in the last Fable
was so emboldened by the offers of friendship made to
him by the Lion in return for his assistance, that he
asked for the hand of his daughter in marriage. The
o o
Lion, amused at the request, good-humouredly told the
Mouse he should plead his own cause, and called the
young Lioness to come to him. She, bounding fonvard
heedlessly, did not see her little lover, who was running
to meet her, and one of her paws falling upon him,
he was crushed to pieces.
THE BROTHER AND SISTER.
A CERTAIN man had two children, a boy and a girl. The
lad was a handsome young fellow enough, but the girl was
as plain as a girl can well be. The latter, provoked beyond
endurance by the way in which her Brother looked in
the glass and made remarks to her disadvantage, went to
her father and complained of it. The father drew his
children to him very tenderly, and said, " My dears, I
wish you both to look in the glass every day. You, my
son, that, seeing your face is handsome, you may take care
not to spoil it by ill-temper and bad behaviour, and you,
my daughter, that you may be encouraged to make up for
your want of beauty by the sweetness of your manners,
and the grace of your conversation."
24 ^ SOP'S FABLES.
THE BOASTING TRAVELLER.
A MAN was one day entertaining a lot of fellows in an
ale-house with an account of the wonders he had done
when abroad on his travels. " I wras once at Rhodes,"
said he, " and the people of Rhodes, you know, are famous
for jumping. Well, I took a jump there that no other
man could come within a yard of. That's a fact, and if
we were there I could bring you ten men who would prove
it." " What need is there to go to Rhodes for witnesses ?"
asked one of his hearers; "just imagine that you are there
now, and show us your leap."
THE SPENDTHRIFT AND THE SWALLOW.
A PRODIGAL young fellow, who had run through all his
money, and even sold all his outer clothes except his
cloak, seeing a Swallow skimming over the meadows one
fine day in the early spring, believed that summer was
really come, and sold his cloak too. The next morning
there happened to be a severe frost, and, shivering and
nearly frozen himself, he found the Swallow lying stiff and
dead upon the ground. He thereupon upbraided the poor
bird as the cause of all his misfortunes. " Stupid thing/'
said he, " had you not come before your time, I should
not now be so wretched as I am/'
THE WANTON CALF.
THE LEOPARD AND THE FOX.
THE Leopard one day, in the hearing of the Fox, was
very loud in the praise of his own beautifully spotted
skin. The Fox thereupon told him that, handsome as
he might be, he considered that he himself was yet a
great deal handsomer. " Your beauty is of the body,"
said the Fox ; " mine is of the mind."
THE WANTON CALF.
A CALF, full of play and wantonness, seeing an Ox at the
plough, could not forbear insulting him. " What a sorry
poor drudge are you/' said he, '• to bear that heavy yoke
upon your neck, and with a plough at your tail all day,
26 ^E SOP'S FABLES.
to go turning up the ground for a master. You are a
wretched poor slave, and know no better, or you would
not do it. See what a happy life I lead ; I go just where
I please — sometimes in the cool shade, sometimes in the
warm sunshine ; and whenever I like I drink at the clear
and running brook." The Ox, not at all moved by this
address, went on quietly and calmly with his work, and
in the evening, when unyoked and going to take his rest,
he saw the Calf hung with garlands of flowers, being led
off for sacrifice by the priests. He pitied him, but could
not help saying, as he passed, " Now, friend, whose con
dition is the better, yours or mine ?"
THE JACKDAW AND THE PIGEONS.
A JACKDAW seeing how well some Pigeons in a certain
dove-cote fed, and how happily they lived together, wished
much to join them. With this view he whitened his
feathers, and slipped in one evening just as it was getting
dark. As long as he kept quiet he escaped notice, but
growing bolder by degrees, and feeling very jolly in his
new quarters, he burst into a hearty laugh. His voice
betrayed him. The Pigeons set upon him and drove
him out. When he would afterwards have joined the
Jackdaws again, his discoloured feathers and his battered
state drew attention to him, and his former mates finding
out what he had been at, would let him have no further
part with them.
THE SICK KITE.
27
THE HARES AND THE FROGS.
THE Hares once took serious counsel among themselves
whether death itself would not be preferable to their miser
able condition. " What a sad state is ours," they said,
" never to eat in comfort, to sleep ever in fear, to be startled
by a shadow, and fly with beating heart at the rustling of
the leaves. Better death by far;" and off they went accord
ingly to drown themselves in a neighbouring lake. Some
scores of Erogs who were enjoying the moonlight on the
bank, scared at the approach of the Hares, jumped into the
water. The splash awoke fresh fears in the breasts of
the timid Hares, and they came to a full stop in their
flight. One wise old fellow among them cried, " Hold,
brothers ! See, weak and fearful as we are, beings exist
that are more weak and fearful still. Why then should
we seek to die ? Let us rather make the best of our lot,
such as it is/'
THE SICK KITE.
A KITE who had been ill for a long time, begged of his
mother to go to all the temples in the country, and see
what prayers and promises could do for his recovery. The
old Kite replied, " My son, unless you can think of an altar
that neither of us has robbed, I fear that nothing can be
done for you in that way."
28 sE SOP'S FABLES.
THE LION IN LOVE.
A LION fell in love with the fair daughter of a forester,
and demanded her of her father in marriage. The man
durst not refuse, though he would gladly have done so ;
but he told the Lion that his daughter was so young and
delicate, that he could consent only upon condition that his
teeth should first be drawn and his claws cut off. The
Lion was so enslaved by love that he agreed to this
without a murmur, and it was accordingly done. The
forester then seized a club, laid him dead upon the spot
and so broke off the match.
THE WOLF AND THE CRANE.
A WOLF devoured his prey so ravenously that a bone
stuck in his throat, giving him great pain. He ran
howling up and down, and offered to reward handsomely
any one who would pull it out. A Crane, moved by pity
as well as by the prospect of the money, undertook the
dangerous task. Having removed the bone, he asked
for the promised reward. "Reward!" cried the Wolf;
" pray, you greedy fellow, what reward can you possibly
require? You have had your head in my mouth,
and instead of biting it off, I have let you pull it out un
harmed. Get away with you, and don't come again within
reach of my paw."
THB WOLF AND THE CRANE.
THE COLLIER AND THE FULLER. 31
THE LION, THE ASS, AND THE FOX.
THE Lion, the Ass, and the Fox went hunting together,
and it was agreed that whatever was taken should be shared
between them. They caught a large fat Stag, which the Lion
ordered the Ass to divide. The Ass took a deal of pains to
divide the Stag into three pieces, which should be as nearly
equal as possible. The Lion, enraged with him for what he
considered a want of proper respect to his quality, flew
upon him and tore him to pieces. He then called on the
Fox to divide. The Fox, nibbling off a small portion for
himself, left the rest for the Lion's share. The Lion, highly
pleased with this mark of respect, asked the Fox where he
had learned such politeness and good-breeding. " To tell
the truth, Sire/' replied the Fox, " I was taught it by the
Ass that lies dead there."
THE COLLIER AND THE FULLER.
A FRIENDLY Collier meeting one day with a Fuller, an
old acquaintance of his, kindly invited him to come and
share his house. "A thousand thanks for your civility/'
replied the Fuller; "but I am rather afraid that as fast
as I make anything clean, you will be for smutting it
again."
32 ^ SOP'S FASLES.
THE EAGLE, THE CAT, AND THE SOW.
AN Eagle had built her nest in the top branches of an
old oak tree ; a wild Cat dwelt in a hole about the middle ;
and in the hollow part at the bottom lived a Sow with a
whole litter of pigs. They might have remained there
long in contentment, but the Cat, bent upon mischief, crept
up one day to the Eagle, and said, " Neighbour, have you
noticed what the old Sow who lives below is doing? 1
believe she is determined upon nothing less than to root
up this tree, our abode, and when it falls she will devour
our young ones." This put the Eagle in a great fright,
and she did not dare to stir from home lest the tree might
fall in her absence. Descending to visit the Sow, the
wily Cat said, " Listen to me, my friend. Last night I
overheard that old bird who lives over our heads promise
her young ones that the very next time you went out they
should have one of your dear little porkers for supper,"
The Sow, greatly alarmed in her turn, durst not quit her
hollow. The mutual fear of the Eagle and the Sow
became so great that they and their young ones were
actually starved to death, and fell a prey to the designing
old Cat and her kittens.
THE Fox AND THE STORK.
33
THE FOX AND THE STORK.
A Fox one day invited a Stork to dine with him, and,
wishing to be amused at his expense, put the soup which
he had for dinner in a large flat dish, so that, while he
himself could lap it up quite well, the Stork could only
dip in the tips of his long bill. Some time after, the
Stork, bearing his treatment in mind, invited the Fox to
take dinner with him. He, in his turn, put some minced
meat in a long and narrow-necked vessel, into which he
could easily put his bill, while Master Fox was forced
to be content with licking what ran down the sides of
the vessel. The Fox then remembered his old trick,
and could not but admit that the Stork had well paid
him out.
34
FABLES.
THE LIONESS AND THE FOX.
Fox once observed to the Lioness that Foxes were
very much to be envied in the matter of fruitfulness.
Scarcely a year passed that she, for instance, did not bring
into the world a good litter of cubs, while some people,
she continued, who had only one young one at a time, and
that not more than twice or thrice in their lives, looked
down upon everybody else with contempt. This sneer was
too pointed to be passed over in silence by the Lioness,
who replied with a good deal of fire, " What you say is
true ; you have a great many young at a time, and often ;
but what are they ? Foxes. I have but one, but remember
that that one is a Lion/'
THE FOX AND THE GOAT.
A Fox and a Goat once journeyed together. The Goat
was a simple creature, seldom seeing beyond his own
nose ; while the Fox, like most of his kind, was a master
of knavery. They were led by thirst to descend a deep
well, and when they had both drunk freely, the Fox
said, "Now, master Goat, what shall we do? Drinking
is all very well, but it won't get us out from here. You
had better rear up against the wall ; then, by the aid of
your horns, I can get out, and, once out, of course I can
help you." " By my beard," said the Goat, " that's a good
.THE GENEROUS LION. 35
plan. I should never have thought of that. How I wish
I had your brains, to be sure!" The Fox, having got out
in the way described, began to rail at his companion.
" Make the most of your patience, old fellow," said he,
"for you'll need it all. If you had had half as much
brains as beard, you would never have gone down there.
I am sorry that I can't stay longer with you, but I have
some business that must be seen to. So, good-bye."
THE GENEROUS LION.
A LION having pulled down a Bullock, stood over it, lash
ing his sides with his tail. A Robber who was passing by
stopped and impudently demanded half shares. " You are
always too ready to take what does not belong to you,"
answered the Lion ; "go your way, I have nothing to say
to you." The Thief saw that the Lion was not to be trifled
with, and went off. Just then a Traveller came up, and
seeing the Lion, modestly and timorously withdrew. The
generous beast, with a courteous, affable air, called him
forward, and, dividing the Bullock in halves, told the man
to take one, and in order that he might be under no
restraint, carried his own portion away into the forest.
;E SOPS FABLES.
CAESAR AND THE SLAVE.
DURING a visit that Tiberius Caesar paid to one of his
country residences, he observed that whenever he walked in
the grounds, a certain Slave was always a little way ahead
of him, busily watering the paths. Turn which way he
would, go where he might, there was the fellow still fussing
about with his watering-pot. He felt sure that he was
making himself thus needlessly officious in the hope of
thereby gaining his liberty. In making a Slave free, a part
of the ceremony consisted in giving him a gentle stroke on
one side of the face. Hence, when the man came running
up in eager expectation, at the call of the Emperor, the
latter said to him, " I have for a long time observed you
meddling where you had nothing to do, and while you
might have been better employed elsewhere. You are
mistaken if you think I can afford a box on the ear at so
low a price as you bid for it."
THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR.
Two men about to journey through a forest, agreed to stand
by one another in any dangers that might befal. They had
not gone far before a savage Bear rushed out from a thicket
and stood in their path. One of the Travellers, a light,
nimble fellow, got up into a tree. The other fell flat on his
face and held his breath. The Bear came up and smelled
THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR.
THE WOLF, THE Fox, AND THE APE. 39
at him, and taking him for dead, went off again into the
wood. The man in the tree came down, and rejoining his
companion, asked him, with a mischievous smile, what
was the wonderful secret that the Bear had whispered into
his ear. " Why," replied the other sulkily, " he told me
to take care for the future and not to put any confidence
in such cowardly rascals as you are."
THE SOW AND THE CAT.
A Sow and a Cat once talking together, the conversation
turned upon the comparative largeness of their families. " I
have as large families, and as often, as anybody," said the
Cat with a conceited air. " Ay, ay," grunted the Sow, " that
may be ; but you are always in so much haste about it, that
you bring your kittens into the world blind."
THE WOLF, THE FOX, AND THE APE.
THE Wolf charged the Fox, before the Ape as judge, with
having stolen some meat which he had put by. The case
was long and angrily contested, and the Ape, having heard
all that was to be said on both sides, announced his
decision as follows : " You, Master Wolf, in spite of your
complaints, do not appear to me to have had anything to
lose ; but I am forced to admit that you, Master Fox, have
certainly stolen what is laid to your charge."
4o S£SOFS FABLES.
THE BOY AND HIS MOTHER.
A LITTLE Boy, who went to school, stole one of his
schoolfellow's books and took it home. His Mother, so
far from correcting him, took the book and sold it, and
gave him an apple for his pains. In the course of time
the Boy became a robber, and at last was tried for his
life and condemned. He was led to the gallows, a great
crowd of people following, and among them his Mother,
bitterly weeping. He prayed the officers to grant him
the favour of a few parting words with her, and his
request was freely granted. He approached his Mother,
put his arm round her neck, and making as though he
would whisper something in her ear, bit it off. Her cry
of pain drew everybody's eyes upon them, and great was
the indignation that at such a time he should add
another violence to his list of crimes. " Nay, good
people," said he, " do not be deceived. My first theft
was of a book, which I gave to my Mother. Had she
whipped me for it, instead of praising me, I should not
have come to the gallows now that I am a man."
THE Fox AND THE SICK LION,
THE FOX AND THE SICK LION.
IT was reported that the Lion was sick and confined to his
den, where he would be happy to see any of his subjects
who might come to pay the homage that was due to him.
Many accordingly went in, but it was observed that the
Fox very carefully kept away. The Lion noticed his
absence, and sent one of his Jackals to express a hope
that he would show he was not insensible to motives of
respect and charity, by coming and paying his duty like the
rest. The Fox told the Jackal to offer his sincerest reve
rence to his master, and to say that he had more than once
been on the point of coming to see him, but he had in
truth observed that all the foot-prints at the mouth of the
cave pointed inwards, and none outwards, and not being
42 ^ SOP'S FABLES.
able to explain that fact to his satisfaction, he had taken the
liberty of stopping away. The truth was that this illness of
the Lion's was only a sham to induce the beasts to come to
his den, that he might the more easily devour them.
THE ASS AND THE LITTLE DOG.
THE Ass observing how great a favourite a Little Dog
was with his master, how much caressed and fondled,
and fed \vith choice bits at every meal — and for no other
reason, that he could see, but skipping and frisking about
and wagging his tail — resolved to imitate him, and see
whether the same behaviour would not bring him similar
favours. Accordingly, the master was no sooner come
home from walking, and seated in his easy-chair, than the
Ass came into the room, and danced around him with many
an awkward gambol. The man could not help laughing
aloud at the odd sight. The joke, however, became serious
when the Ass, rising on his hind-legs, laid his fore-feet
upon his master's shoulders, and braying in his face in the
most fascinating manner, would fain have jumped into his
lap. The man cried out for help, and one of his servants
running in with a good stick, laid it unmercifully on the
bones of the poor Ass, who was glad to get back to his stable.
THE EARTHEN POT AND THE POT OF BRASS. 43
THE SHEEP-BITER.
A CERTAIN Shepherd had a Dog in whom he placed such
great trust, that he would often leave the flock to his sole
care. As soon, however, as his master's back was turned,
the Cur, although well fed and kindly treated, used to worry
the Sheep, and would sometimes kill one and devour a
portion. The man at last found out how much his con
fidence had been abused, and resolved to hang the Dog
without mercy. When the rope was put around his neck,
he pleaded hard for his life, and begged his master rather
to hang the Wolf, who had done ten times as much harm
to the flock as he had. " That may be," replied the man
sternly; " but you are ten times the greater villain for all
that. Nothing shall save you from the fate which your
treachery deserves."
THE EARTHEN POT AND THE POT OF
BRASS.
A RIVER having overflowed its banks, two Pots were carried
along in the stream, one made of Earthenware and the
other of Brass. " Well, brother, since we share the same
fate, let us go along together," cried the Brazen Pot to the
Earthen one. " No, no !" replied the latter in a great fright;
" keep off whatever you do, for if you knock against me,
or I against you, it will be all over with me — to the
bottom I shall go."
44 jEso-ps FABLES.
THE TORTOISE AND THE EAGLE.
A TORTOISE, weary of crawling about on the ground at
a snail's pace, desired to fly in the air like the birds, and
gave out that if any bird would take him up in the
clouds and show him the world, he would tell him in
return where to find treasures hid in the earth. The
Eagle thereupon did as he wished, but finding that the
Tortoise could not keep his word, carried him up once
more, and let him fall on a hard rock, where he was dashed
to pieces.
THE TWO CRABS.
" MY dear," called out an old Crab to her daughter one
day, "why do you sidle along in that awkward manner?
Why don't you go forward like other people?" "Well,
mother," answered the young Crab, " it seems to me that
I go exactly like you do. Go first and show me how, and
I will gladly follow."
THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.
A Fox was once caught in a trap by his tail, and in order
to get away, was forced to leave it behind. Knowing that
without a tail he would be a laughing-stock for all his
fellows, he resolved to try to induce them to part with
theirs. So at the next assembly of Foxes he made a speech
THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.
THE Fox AND THE BRAMBLE. 47
on the unprofitableness of tails in general, and the in
convenience of a Fox's tail in particular, adding that he
had never felt so easy as since he had given up his
own. When he had sat down, a sly old fellow rose, and
waving his long brush with a graceful air, said, with a
sneer, that if, like the last speaker, he had lost his tail,
nothing further would have been needed to convince him ;
but till such an accident should happen, he should cer
tainly vote in favour of tails.
THE VIPER AND THE FILE.
A VIPER entered a smith's shop, and looked up and
down for something to eat. He settled at last upon a
File, and began to gnaw it greedily. " Bite away," said
the File gruffly, "you'll get little from me. It is my
business to take from all and give to none."
THE FOX AND THE BRAMBLE.
A Fox, hotly pursued by the Hounds, jumped through a
hedge, and his feet were sadly torn by a Bramble that grew
in the midst. He fell to licking his paws, with many a
curse against the Bramble for its unkind treatment.
" Softly, softly, good words if you please, Master Rey
nard," said the Bramble. " I thought you knew better
than to lay hold of one whose nature it is to lay hold of
others."
48
FABLES.
FORTUNE AND THE BOY.
A LITTLE Boy quite tired out with play, stretched out,
and fell sound asleep close to the edge of a deep well.
Fortune came by, and gently waking him said, " My dear
Boy, believe me, I have saved your life. If you had fallen
in, everybody would have laid the blame on me; but tell
me truly, now, would the fault have been yours or mine?"
THE MAN AND HIS GOOSE.
A CERTAIN Man had a Goose that laid him a golden egg
every day. Being of a covetous turn, he thought if he
killed his Goose he should come at once at the source
of his treasure. So he killed her, and cut her open, and
great was his dismay to find that her inside was in no
way different to that of any other Goose.
THE BULL AND THE GOAT.
49
THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE.
THE Peacock, spreading his gorgeous tail, stalked up and
down in his most stately manner before a Crane, and
ridiculed him for the plainness of his plumage. " Tut,
tut!" said the Crane; " which is the better now, to strut
about in the dirt, and be gazed at by children, or to soar
above the clouds, as I do?'
THE BULL AND THE GOAT.
A BULL being pursued by a Lion, spied a cave, and flew
towards it, meaning to take shelter there. A Goat came
to the mouth of the cave, and menacing the Bull with
his horns, disputed the passage. The Bull, having no
50 ^Esop's FABLES.
time to lose, was obliged to make off again without
delay, but not before saying to the Goat, " Were it not
for the Lion that is behind me, I would soon let you
know the difference between a Bull and a Goat."
A MAN BITTEN BY A DOG.
A MAN who had been sadly bitten by a Dog, was advised
by an old woman as a cure to rub a piece of bread on the
wound, and give it to the Dog that had bitten him. He
did so, and ^Esop, passing by at the time, asked him
what he was about. The Man told him, and yEsop
replied, " I am glad you do it privately, for if the rest
of the Dogs of the town were to see you, we should be
eaten up alive."
THE STAG AND THE FAWN.
A FAWN once said to a Stag, " How is it that you, who
are so much bigger, and stronger, and fleeter than a Dog,
are in such a fright when you behold one ? If you stood
your ground, and used your horns, I should think the
Hounds would fly from you." " I have said that to myself,
little one, over and over again," replied the Stag, " and
made up my mind to act upon it ; but yet, no sooner do
I hear the voice of a Dog than I am ready to jump out of
my skin."
THE Fox AND THE MASK. 51
AN Ass and a Cock feeding in the same meadow, were
one day surprised by a Lion. The Cock crowed loudly,
and the Lion (who is said to have a great antipathy to the
crowing of a Cock) at once turned tail and ran off again.
The Ass, believing that it was from fear of him that the
Lion fled, pursued him. As soon as they were out of
hearing of the Cock, the Lion turned round upon the Ass
and tore him in pieces.
THE FOX AND THE MASK.
A Fox was one day rummaging in the house of an actor,
and came across a very beautiful Mask. Putting his paw
on the forehead, he said, "What a handsome, face we
have here! Pity it is that it should want brains."
52 ALSO PS FABLES.
DEATH AND CUPID.
CUPID, one sultry summer's noon, tired with play and faint
with heat, went into a cool grotto to repose himself. This
happened to be the cave of Death. He threw himself care
lessly down upon the floor, and his quiver turning upside
down, all the arrows fell out, and mingled with those of
Death, which lay scattered about the place. When he
awoke, he gathered them up as well as he could ; but they
were so intermingled, that although he knew the proper
number to take, he could not rightly distinguish his own.
Hence he took up some of the arrows which belonged to
Death, and left some of his. This is the cause that we now
and then see the hearts of the old and decrepit transfixed
with the bolts of Love ; and with great grief and surprise,
sometimes see youth and beauty smitten with the darts
of Death.
THE LION, THE TIGER, AND THE FOX.
A LION and a Tiger happened to come together over the
dead body of a Fawn that had been recently shot. A fierce
battle ensued, and as each animal was in the prime of his
age and strength, the combat was long and furious. At
last they lay stretched on the ground panting, bleeding, and
exhausted, each unable to lift a paw against the other. An
impudent Fox coming by at the time, stepped in and carried
off before their eyes the prey on account of which they had
both suffered so much.
THE LION, THE TIGER, AND THE FOX.
THE HARPER. 55
THE WOOD AND THE CLOWN.
A COUNTRYMAN entered a Wood and looked about him
as though he were in search of something. The Trees,
moved by curiosity, asked him what it was he wanted.
He answered that all he wanted was a piece of good,
tough ash for a handle to his axe. The Trees agreed
that if that was all, he should have it. When, however,
he had got it, and fitted it to his axe, he laid about him
unmercifully, and the giants of the forest fell under his
strokes. The Oak is said to have spoken thus to the
Beech, in a low whisper : " Brother, we must take it for
our pains."
THE HARPER.
A MAN who used to play upon his Harp, and sing to it,
in wine-shops and other small places of entertainment,
was led by the applause which his efforts met with there
to desire a larger sphere in which to display his talents.
He fancied if he could only be once allowed to play and
sing upon the stage of the public theatre, renown and
fortune must assuredly follow. He tried long and hard,
and at last gained the necessary permission, but in such
a vast place, his strains seemed so weak, thin, and
wretched that he was unanimously hissed off the stage.
56 ^ SOP'S FABLES.
THE RIVER FISH AND THE SEA FISH.
A LARGE overgrown Pike was carried out to sea by a
strong current. He gave himself great airs on account of
what he considered his superior race and descent, and
despised the Sea Fishes among whom he found himself.
" You value yourself at a great price/' said a little stranger,
" but if ever it is our fate to come to the market, you
will find that I am thought a good deal more of there
than you."
THE HORSE AND THE STAG.
THE Horse having quarrelled with the Stag, and being
unable to revenge himself upon his enemy, came to a Man
and begged his help. He allowed the Man to saddle
and bridle him, and together they ran down the Stag
and killed him. The Horse neighed with joy, and,
thanking his rider warmly, asked him now to remove his
saddle and let him go. "No, no," said the Man; "you
are much too useful to me as you are." The Horse
thenceforward served the Man, and found that he had
gratified his revenge at the cost of his liberty,
THE THUNNY AND THE DOLPHIN.
57
THE VAIN JACKDAW.
A JACKDAW having dressed himself in feathers which
had fallen from some Peacocks, strutted about in the
company of these birds, and tried to pass himself off as
one of them. They soon found him out, and pulled
their feathers from him so roughly, and in other ways
so battered him, that when he would have rejoined his
fellows, they, in their turn, would have nothing to do
with him, and drove him from their society.
THE THUNNY AND THE DOLPHIN.
A THUNNY being pursued by a Dolphin, swam for safety
into shallow water. Seeing the Dolphin still after him,
he came further in shore, and was thrown by the waves
58 sEsops FABLES.
high and dry on the sand. The Dolphin,. -eager in pursuit,
and unable to stop himself, was also stranded. The
Thunny beholding the Dolphin in the same condition as
himself, said, " Now I die with pleasure, for I see my
persecutor involved in the same fate."
THE PARTRIDGE AND THE COCKS.
A CERTAIN man having taken a Partridge, cut his wings
and put him into a little yard where he kept Game-Cocks.
The Cocks were not at all civil to the new-comer, who
at first put his treatment down to the fact of his being
a stranger. When, however, he found that they frequently
fought and nearly killed each other, he ceased to wonder
that they did not respect him.
THE HUNTED BEAVER.
THE tail of the Beaver was once thought to be of use
in medicine, and the animal was often hunted on that
account. A shrewd old fellow of the race, being hard
pressed by the Dogs, and knowing well why they were
after him, had the resolution and the presence of mind
to bite off his tail, and leave it behind him, and thus
escaped with his life.
THE Fox AND THE TIGER.
59
THE OAK AND THE REEDS.
A VIOLENT storm uprooted an Oak that grew on the
bank of a river. The Oak drifted across the stream,
and lodged among some Reeds. Wondering to find these
still standing, he could not help asking them how it was
they had escaped the fury of a storm which had torn
him up by the roots. " We bent our heads to the
blast," said they, "and it passed over us. You stood
stiff and stubborn till you could stand no longer."
THE FOX AND THE TIGER.
A SKILFUL archer coming into the woods, directed his
arrows so well that the beasts fled in dismay. The Tiger,
however, told them not to be afraid, for he would singly
engage their enemy, and drive him from their domain.
He had scarcely spoken, when an arrow pierced his ribs
and lodged in his side. The Fox asked him, slyly, what
he thought of his opponent now. " Ah ! " replied the
Tiger, writhing with pain, " I find that I was mistaken in
my reckoning."
60 sEsops FABLES.
.ESOP AT PLAY.
AN Athenian once found /Esop joining merrily in the
sports of some children. He ridiculed him for his want
of gravity, and yEsop good-temperedly took up a bow,
unstrung it, and laid it at his feet. " There, friend," said
he ; " that bow, if kept always strained, would lose its
spring, and probably snap. Let it go free sometimes, and
it will be the fitter for use when it is wanted. "
THE FOX AND THE COUNTRYMAN.
A Fox having been hunted hard, and run a long chase,
saw a Countryman at work in a wood, and begged him
to help him to some hiding-place. The man said he
might go into his cottage, which was close by. He wras
no sooner in, than the Huntsmen came up. " Have you
seen a Fox pass this way ?" said they. The Countryman
said " No,'' but pointed at the same time towards the place
where the Fox lay. The Huntsmen did not take the hint,
however, and made off again at full speed. The Fox, who
had seen all that took place through a chink in the wall,
thereupon came out, and was walking away without a word.
" Why, how now ? " said the man ; " haven't you the
manners to thank your host before you go ? " " Yes, yes,"
said the Fox ; " if you had been as honest with your finger
as you were with your tongue, I shouldn't have gone with
out saying good-bye."
THE FOX AND THE COUNTRYMAN.
THE THIEF AND THE BOY.
THE ONE-EYED DOE.
A DOE that had but one eye, used to graze near the sea,
so that she might keep her blind eye towards the water,
while she surveyed the country and saw that no hunters
came near, with the other. It happened, however, that
some men in a boat saw her, and as she did not perceive
their approach, they came very close, and one who had
a gun, fired and shot her. In her dying agony she cried
out, " Alas, hard fate ! that I should receive my death-
wound from the side whence I expected no ill, and be safe
on that where I looked for most danger."
THE THIEF AND THE BOY.
A BOY sat weeping upon the side of a well. A Thief
happening to come by just at the same time, asked him
why he wept. The Boy, sighing and sobbing, showed a
bit of cord, and said that a silver tankard had come off
from it, and was now at the bottom of the well. The
Thief pulled off his clothes and went down into the well,
meaning to keep the tankard for himself. Having groped
about for some time without finding it, he came up
again, and found not only the Boy gone, but his own
clothes also, the dissembling rogue having made off with
them.
64
y£ 'SOP'S FABLES.
THE ASS, THE DOG, AND THE WOLF.
A LADEN Ass was jogging along, followed by his tired
master, at whose heels came a hungry Dog. Their path
lay across a meadow, and the man stretched himself out on
the turf and went to sleep. The Ass fed on the pasture,
and was in no hurry at all to move. The Dog alone, being
gnawed by the pains of hunger, found the time pass
heavily. " Pray, dear companion," said he to the Ass,
" stoop, that I may take my dinner from the pannier." The
Ass turned a deaf ear, and went on cropping away the
green and tender grass. The Dog persisted, and at last the
Ass replied, " Wait, can't you, till our master wakes. He
will give you your usual portion, without fail." Just then a
famished Wolf appeared upon the scene, and sprang at the
throat of the Ass. " Help, help, dear Towzer 1" cried the
Ass ; but the Dog would not budge. " Wait till our
master wakes/' said he ; " he will come to your help,
without fail." The words were no sooner spoken, than the
Ass lay strangled upon the sod.
7 HE FOX AND THE APE.
THE FOX AND THE APE.
UPON the decease of the Lion, the beasts of the forest
assembled to choose another king. The Ape played so
many grimaces, gambols, and antic tricks, that he was
elected by a large majority, and the crown was placed upon
his head. The Fox, envious of this distinction, seeing soon
after a trap baited with a piece of meat, approached the
new king, and said with mock humility, " May it please
your majesty, I have found on your domain a treasure
to which, if you will deign to accompany me, I will
conduct you." The Ape thereupon set off with the Fox,
and on arriving at the spot, laid his paw upon the meat.
Snap! went the trap, and caught him by the fingers. Mad
66 ALSOPS FABLES.
with the shame and the pain, he reproached the Fox for
a false thief and a traitor. Reynard laughed heartily, and
going off, said over his shoulder, with a sneer, " You a
king, and not understand a trap!"
THE POWER OF FABLES.
DEMADES, a famous Greek orator, was once addressing
an assembly at Athens on a subject of great importance,
and in vain tried to fix the attention of his hearers.
They laughed among themselves, watched the sports of
the children, and in twenty other ways showed their want
of concern in the subject of the discourse. Demades,
after a short pause, spoke as follows : " Ceres one day
journeyed in company with a Swallow and an Eel."
At this there was marked attention, and every ear strained
now to catch the words of the orator. " The party came
to a river," continued he. "The Eel swam across, and
the Swallow flew over." He then resumed the subject of
his harangue. A great cry, however, arose from the
people. "And Ceres? and Ceres?" cried they. "What
did Ceres do?" "Why, the goddess was, and indeed she
is now," replied he, " mightily offended that people should
have their ears open to any sort of foolery, and shut to
words of truth and wisdom."
THE DOVE AND THE ANT. 67
THE GOATHERD AND THE GOATS.
DURING a snowstorm in the depth of winter, a Goatherd
drove his Goats for shelter to a large cavern in a rock. It
happened that some Wild Goats had already taken refuge
there. The Man was so struck by the size and look of
these Goats, and with their superior beauty to his own, that
he gave to them alone all the food he could collect. The
storm lasted many days, and the Tame Goats, being entirely
without food, died of starvation. As soon as the sun
shone again, the strangers ran off, and made the best of
their way to their native wilds. The Goatherd had to go
goatless home, and was well laughed at by all for his folly.
THE DOVE AND THE ANT.
AN Ant going to a river to drink, fell in, and was carried
along in the stream. A Dove pitied her condition, and
threw into the river a small bough, by means of which the
Ant gained the shore. The Ant afterwards, seeing a man
with a fowling-piece aiming at the Dove, stung him in the
foot sharply, and made him miss his aim, and so saved the
Dove's life.
68 sEsop's FABLES.
THE MICE IN COUNCIL.
A CERTAIN Cat that lived in a large country-house was so
vigilant and active, that the Mice, finding their numbers
grievously thinned, held a council, with closed doors, to
consider what they had best do. Many plans had been
started and dismissed, when a young Mouse, rising and
catching the eye of the president, said that he had a
proposal to make, that he was sure must meet with the
approval of all. " If," said he, " the Cat wore around her
neck a little bell, every step she took would make it tinkle ;
then, ever forewarned of her approach, we should have time
to reach our holes. By this simple means we should live in
safety, and defy her power." The speaker resumed his seat
with a complacent air, and a murmur of applause arose
from the audience. An old grey Mouse, with a merry
twinkle in his eye, now got up, and said that the plan of
the last speaker was an admirable one ; but he feared it
had one drawback. He had not told them who should put
the bell around the Cat's neck.
THE MOUNTAIN IN LABOUR,
A MOUNTAIN from which were heard to proceed dreadful
groans was said to be in labour, and people flocked near to
see what would be produced. After waiting till they were
quite tired, out crept a Mouse.
THE MOUNTAIN IN LABOUR.
THE MOUSE AND THE WEASEL. 71
THE CREAKING WHEEL.
A COACHMAN hearing one of the Wheels of his coach make
a great noise, and perceiving that it was the worst one of
the four, asked it how it came to take such a liberty. The
Wheel answered that from the beginning of time creak
ing had always been the privilege of the weak.
THE MOUSE AND THE WEASEL.
A LEAN and hungry Mouse once pushed his way, not
without some trouble, through a small hole into a corn-
hutch, and there fed for some time so busily, that when
he would have returned by the same way that he entered,
he found himself too plump to get through the hole, push
as hard as he might. A Weasel, who had great fun in
watching the vain struggles of the fat little thing, called
to him, and said, " Listen to me, my plump friend.
There is but one way to get out, and that is to wait till
you have become as lean as when you first got in."
72 ^ SOP'S FABLES.
THE OLD MAN AND HIS SONS.
AN Old Man had many Sons, who were always falling out
with one another. He had often, but to no purpose,
exhorted them to live together in harmony. One day he
called them round him, and producing a bundle of sticks,
bade them try each in turn to break it across. Each put
forth all his strength, but the bundle resisted all their
efforts. Then, cutting the cord which bound the sticks
together, he told his Sons to break them separately. This
was done with the greatest ease. " See, my Sons/'
exclaimed he, "the power of unity ! Bound together by
brotherly love, you may defy almost every mortal ill ;
divided, you will fall a prey to your enemies."
THE OLD WOMAN AND HER MAIDS.
A CERTAIN Old Woman had several Maids, whom she
used to call to their work every morning at the crowing
of the Cock. The Maids, finding it grievous to have their
sweet sleep disturbed so early, killed the Cock, thinking
when he was quiet they should enjoy their warm beds a
little longer. The Old Woman, vexed at the loss of her
Cock, and suspecting them to be concerned in it, from
that time made them rise soon after midnight.
THE CAT AND THE COCK.
73
THE DOG IN THE MANGER.
A DOG was lying in a Manger full of hay. An Ox, being
hungry, came near and was going to eat of the hay. The
Dog, getting up and snarling at him, would not let him
touch it. "Surly creature," said the Ox, "you cannot eat
the hay yourself, and yet you will let no one else have any."
THE CAT AND THE COCK.
A CAT one day caught a Cock, and resolved to make a
meal of him. He first asked him, however, what defence
he had to make. " What reason can you give," said he,
74
FABLES.
" for your screaming at night so ? No honest body can
sleep for you." " Nay," answered the Cock, " I only crow
in the service of man, to tell him when it is time to com
mence his labours/' "What nonsense you talk!" said the
Cat; "you are mistaken if you think that such an excuse
as that will do me out of my breakfast."
THE HORSE AND THE ASS.
A WAR-HORSE, gaily caparisoned, with arching neck and
lofty tread, the ground ringing beneath his hoofs, overtook
a patient Ass, slowly walking along under a heavy load.
He called upon him in a haughty tone to move on one
side, and give him room to pass. The poor Ass did so,
sighing at the inequality of their lots. Not long after, he
met the same Horse in the same road, and near the same
spot ; but in how different circumstances ! Wounded in
battle, and his master killed, he was now lame, half blind,
and heavily laden, driven with many blows by a brutal
carrier, into whose hands he had fallen.
THE BIRDS, THE BEASTS, AND THE BAT. 75
HERCULES AND THE WAGONER.
As a Wagoner was driving his wain through a miry
lane, the wheels stuck fast in the clay, and the Horses
could get on no further. The Man dropped on his knees,
and began crying and praying to Hercules with all his
might to come and help him. "Lazy fellow!" said
Hercules, "get up and stir yourself. Whip your Horses
stoutly, and put your shoulder to the wheel. If you want
my help then, you shall have it."
THE BIRDS, THE BEASTS, AND THE BAT.
ONCE upon a time a fierce war was waged between the
Birds and the Beasts. The Bat at first fought on the side
of the Birds, but later on in the day the tide of battle ran
so much in favour of the Beasts, that he changed over, and
fought on the other side. Owing mainly, however, to the
admirable conduct and courage of the Eagle, the tide once
more and finally turned in favour of the Birds. The Bat,
to save his life and escape the shame of falling into the
hands of his deserted friends, fled, and has ever since
skulked in caves and hollow trees, coming out only in the
dusk, when the Birds are gone to roost.
76 s£ SOP'S FAHLES.
THE GEESE AND THE CRANES.
A PARTY of Geese and a party of Cranes were discovered
by the farmer eating his young corn, then just appearing
above the ground. The Cranes, being light of wing, fle\v
off, and all the weight of the punishment fell upon the
Geese.
THE FROGS DESIRING A KING.
THE Frogs living an easy, free sort of life among the
lakes and ponds, once prayed Jupiter to send them a
King. Jove being at that time in a merry mood, threw
them a Log, saying, as he did so, " There, then, is a
King for you." Awed by the splash, the Frogs watched
their King in fear and trembling, till at last, encouraged
by his stillness, one more daring than the rest jumped
upon the shoulder of his monarch. Soon, many others
followed his example, and made merry on the back of their
unresisting King. Speedily tiring of such a torpid ruler,
they again petitioned Jupiter, and asked him to send
them something more like a King. This time he sent
them a Stork, who tossed them about and gobbled them
up without mercy. They lost no time, therefore, in
beseeching the god to give them again their former state.
" No, no," replied he; "a King that did you no harm did
not please you. Make the best of the one you have, or
you may chance to get a worse in his place."
THE FROGS DESIRIXG A KING.
THE Two RABBITS. 79
THE TWO RABBITS.
A RABBIT, who was about to have a family, entreated another
Rabbit to lend her her hutch until she was able to move
about again, and assured her that she should then have it
without fail. The other very readily consented, and, with
a great deal of civility, resigned it to her immediately.
However, when the time was up, she came and paid her
a visit, and very modestly intimated that now she was up
and well she hoped she might have her hutch again, for
it was really inconvenient for her to be without it any
longer ; she must, therefore, be so free as to desire her
to provide herself with other lodgings as soon as she could.
The other replied that truly she was ashamed of having
kept her so long out of her own house, but it was not upon
her own account (for, indeed, she was well enough to go
anywhere) so much as that of her young, who were yet
so weak that she was afraid they would not be able to
follow her; and if she would be so good as to let her
stay a fortnight longer she should take it for the greatest
obligation in the world. The second Rabbit was so good-
natured and compassionate as to comply with this request
too, but at the end of the term came and told her positively
that she must turn out, for she could not possibly let her
be there a day longer. " Must turn out ! " says the other ;
" we will see about that ; for I promise you, unless you can
beat me and my whole litter of young, you are never likely
to have anything more to do here."
8o
sE SOP'S FABLES.
THE HUSBANDMAN AND HIS SONS.
A CERTAIN Husbandman, lying at the point of death, called
his Sons around him, and gave into their charge his fields
and vineyards, telling them that a treasure lay hidden some
where in them, within a foot from the ground. His Sons
thought he spoke of money which he had hidden, and
after he was buried, they dug most industriously all over
the estate, but found nothing. The soil being so well
loosened, however, the succeeding crops were of unequalled
richness, and the Sons then found out what their Father
had in view in telling them to dig for hidden treasure.
THE ENVIOUS MAN AND THE COVETOUS.
Si
THE BOAR AND THE ASS.
A LITTLE scamp of an Ass meeting in a forest with a
Boar, came up to him and hailed him with impudent
familiarity. The Boar was about to resent the insult by
ripping up the Ass's flank, but, wisely stifling his
passion, he contented himself with saying, " Go, you
sorry beast ; I could easily and amply be revenged upon
you, but I do not care to foul my tusks with the blood
of so base a creature."
THE ENVIOUS MAN AND THE COVETOUS.
Two Men, one a Covetous fellow, and the other thoroughly
possessed by the passion of envy, came together to proffer
82 sE SOP'S FABLES.
their petitions to Jupiter. The god sent Apollo to deal
with their requests. Apollo told them that whatsoever
should be granted to the first who asked, the other should
receive double. The Covetous Man forbore to speak, wait
ing in order that he might receive twice as much as his
companion. The Envious Man, in the spitefulness of his
heart, thereupon prayed that one of his own eyes might be
put out, knowing that the other would have to lose both
of his.
THE PORCUPINE AND THE SNAKES.
A PORCUPINE, seeking for shelter, desired some Snakes to
give him admittance into their cave. They accordingly
let him in, but were afterwards so annoyed by his sharp,
prickly quills, that they repented of their easy compliance,
and entreated him to withdraw and leave them their hole
to themselves. " No," said he, " let them quit the place
that don't like it; for my part, I am very well satisfied
as I am."
THE MOLE AND HER DAM. 83
THE MULE.
A MULE, well fed and worked but little, frisked and
gambolled about in the fields, and said to himself, " What
strength, what spirits are mine ! My father must surely
have been a thoroughbred Horse." He soon after fell into
the hands of another master, and was worked hard and
but scantily fed. Thoroughly jaded, he now said, "What
could I have been thinking about the other day? I feel
certain now that my father can only have been an Ass."
THE MOLE AND HER DAM.
THE young Mole snuffed up her nose, and told her Dam
she smelt an odd kind of a smell. By-and-by, " Oh,
mother," said she, "what a noise there is in my ears, as
if ten thousand paper-mills were going!" And then again,
soon after, " Look, look, mother ! what is that I see
yonder? It is just like the flame of a fiery furnace."
The Dam replied, " Prithee, child, hold your idle tongue ;
and if you would have us allow you any sense at all, do
not pretend to more than Nature has given to you."
84 sEsop's FABLES.
THE FALCONER AND THE PARTRIDGE.
A PARTRIDGE, being taken in the net of a Falconer, begged
hard of the Man to be set free, and promised if he were let
go to decoy other Partridges into the net. " No," replied
the Falconer ; " I did not mean to spare you ; but, if I
had, your words would now have condemned you. The
scoundrel who, to save himself, offers to betray his friends,
deserves worse than death."
THE EAGLE AND THE FOX.
AN Eagle, looking around for something to feed her
young ones with, spied a Fox's cub basking in the sun.
She swooped upon him, and was about to carry him off,
when the old Fox came up, and, with tears in her eyes,
implored the Eagle, by the love which she, as a mother,
felt for her own young, to spare this, her only child.
The Eagle, whose nest was in a very high tree, made
light of the Fox's prayers, and carried the cub to her
brood. She was about to divide it among them, when
the Fox, bent upon revenge, ran to an altar in a neigh
bouring field on which some country people had been
sacrificing a kid, and seizing thence a flaming brand,
made towards the tree, meaning to set it on fire. The
Eagle, terrified at the approaching ruin of her family, was
glad to give back the cub, safe and sound, to his mother.
THE EAGLE AND THE FOX.
THE HAWK AND THE FARMER. 87
JUPITER AND THE ASS.
A CERTAIN Ass that belonged to a gardener, was weary
of carrying heavy burdens, and prayed to Jupiter to give
him a new master. Jupiter granted his prayer, and gave
him for a master a tile-maker, who made him carry
heavier burdens than before. Again he came to Jupiter,
and besought him to grant him a milder master, or at
any rate, a different one. The god, laughing at his folly,
thereupon made him over to a tanner. The Ass was
worked harder than ever, and soon upbraided himself for
his stupidity. " Now," said he, "I have a master who
not only beats me living, but who will not spare my
hide even when I am dead."
THE HAWK AND THE FARMER.
A HAWK pursuing a Pigeon with great eagerness, was
caught in a net which had been set in a corn-field for the
Crows. The Farmer, seeing the Hawk fluttering in the
net, came and took him. The Hawk besought the Man to
let him go, saying piteously that he had done him no harm.
" And pray what harm had the poor Pigeon you followed
done to you ? " replied the Farmer. Without more ado he
wrung off his head.
FABLES.
THE SWALLOW AND OTHER BIRDS.
A FARMER, sowing his fields with flax, was observed by
a Swallow, who, like the rest of her tribe, had travelled a
good deal, and was very clever. Among other things, she
knew that of this same flax, when it grew up, nets and
snares would be made, to entrap her little friends, the Birds
of the country. Hence, she earnestly besought them to
help her in picking up and eating the hateful seed, before it
had time to spring from the ground. Food of a much nicer
kind was, however, then so plentiful, and it was so pleasant
to fly about and sing, thinking of nothing, that they paid
no attention to her entreaties. By and by the blades of the
flax appeared above the ground, and the anxiety of the
Swallow was renewed. " It is not yet too late," said she ;
"pull it all up, blade by blade, and you may then escape
the fate which is otherwise in store for you. You cannot,
like me, fly to other countries when danger threatens you
here." The little Birds, however, still took no notice of
the Swallow, except to consider her a very troublesome
person, whom silly fears had set beside herself. In the
course of time the flax grew, ripened, and was gathered,
spun, and made up into nets, as the Swallow had foretold.
Many a little Bird thought, in dying, of the Swallow they
held to be so crazy. The Swallow, in despair at their
thoughtless behaviour, has since preferred the society of
men to that of her feathered companions.
THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES.
89
THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES.
A LARK, who had Young Ones in a field of corn which was
almost ripe, was afraid lest the reapers should come before
her young brood were fledged. Every day, therefore, when
she flew away to look for food, she charged them to take
notice of what they heard in her absence, and to tell her of
it when she returned, One day when she was gone, they
heard the master of the field say to his son that the corn
seemed ripe enough to be cut, and tell him to go early to
morrow and desire their friends and neighbours to come
and help to reap it. When the old Lark came home, the
Little Ones fell quivering and chirping around her, and
told her what had happened, begging her to remove them
as fast as she could. The mother bade them to be easy,
12
go s£ SOP'S FABLES.
lt tor/' said she, " if he depends upon his friends and his
neighbours, I am sure the corn will not be reaped to
morrow." Next day she went out again, and left the same
orders as before. The owner .came, and waited. The sun
grew hot, but nothing was done, for not a soul came. " You
see," said he to his son, " these friends of ours are not to
be depended upon, so run off at once to your uncles and
cousins, and say I wish them to come betimes to-morrow
morning and help us to reap." This the Young Ones, in a
great fright, reported also to their mother. " Do not be
frightened, children/' said she ; " kindred and relations are
not always very forward in helping one another ; but keep
your ears open, and let me know what you hear to-morrow."
The owner came the next day, and, finding his relations
as backward as his neighbours, said to his son, " Now,
George, listen to me. Get a couple of good sickles ready
against to-morrow morning, for it seems we must reap the
corn by ourselves." The Young Ones told this to their
mother. " Then, my dears," said she, " it is time for us to
go indeed, for when a man undertakes to do his business
himself, it is not so likely that he will be disappointed."
She removed her Young Ones immediately, and the corn
was reaped the next day by the old man and his son.
THE GOATHERD AND THE SHE-GOAT.
THE GOATHERD AND THE SHE-GOAT.
A BOY, whose business it was to look after some Goats, as
night began to fall, gathered them together to lead them
home. One of the number, a She-Goat, alone refused to
obey his call, and stood on a ledge of a rock, nibbling the
herbage that grew there. The Boy lost all patience, and
taking up a great stone, threw it at the Goat with all his
force. The stone struck one of the horns of the Goat, and
broke it off at the middle. The Boy, terrified at what he
had done and fearing his master's anger, threw himself
upon his knees before the Goat, and begged her to say
nothing about the mishap, alleging that it was far from his
intention to aim the stone so well. " Tush ! " replied the
Goat. " Let my tongue be ever so silent, my horn is sure
to tell the tale."
92
MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN.
A MAN felling a. tree on the bank of a river, by chance
let his axe slip from his hand. It dropped into the water,
and sank to the bottom. In great distress at the loss of
his tool, he sat down on the bank and grieved bitterly.
Mercury appeared, and asked him what was the matter.
Having heard the Man's story, he dived to the bottom of
the river, and bringing up a golden axe, offered it to him.
The Woodman refused to take it, saying it was not his.
Mercury then dived a second time, and brought up a silver
one. This also the Man refused, saying that that, too, was
none of his. He dived a third time, and brought up the
axe that the Man had lost. This the poor Man took with
great joy and thankfulness. Mercury was so pleased with
his honesty, that he gave him the other two into the
bargain. The Woodman told this adventure to his mates,
and one of them at once set off for the river, and let his axe
fall in on purpose. He then began to lament his loss with
a loud voice. Mercury appeared, as before, and demanded
the cause of his grief. After hearing the Man's account, he
dived and brought up a golden axe, and asked him if that
was his. Transported at the sight of the precious metal,
the fellow eagerly answered that it was, and greedily
attempted to snatch it. The god, detecting his falsehood
and impudence, not only declined to give it to him, but
refused to let him have his own again.
MERCURY AND THE WOODMAN.
THE OXEN AND THE BUTCHERS. 95
THE LION AND THE FROG.
THE Lion hearing an odd kind of a hollow voice, and
seeing nobody, started up. He listened again ; the voice
continued, and he shook with fear. At last seeing a Frog
crawl out of the lake, and finding that the noise proceeded
from that little creature, he spurned it to pieces with his
feet.
THE OXEN AND THE BUTCHERS.
ONCE upon a time the Oxen took counsel together, and
resolved upon ridding the land of all the Butchers, who so
constantly led away the finest and fattest of their number
to perish by the axe and knife. They were on the point
of proceeding to carry out their plan, when a wise old Ox
prayed them to reconsider their intentions. " You may be
certain/' said he, " that men will not go without beef. If
then we kill the Butchers, who are already expert in their
trade, and who put us out of pain as quickly as possible, we
shall be hacked and hewed by others, who have yet to learn
the business " This sensible reasoning prevailed, and the
plan dropped to the ground.
96 sE SOPS FABLES.
THE SHEPHERD BOY AND THE WOLF.
A MISCHIEVOUS Lad, who was set to mind some Sheep,
used, in jest, to cry "The Wolf! the Wolf!'' When the
people at work in the neighbouring fields came running to
the spot, he would laugh at them for their pains. One day
the Wolf came in reality, and the Boy, this time, called
"The Wolf! the Wolf!" in earnest; but the men, having
been so often deceived, disregarded his cries, and the Sheep
were left at the mercy of the Wolf.
THE SERPENT AND THE MAN.
THE Child of a Cottager was at play in a field at the back
of his Father's house, and by chance trod upon a Snake,
which turned round and bit him. The Child died of the
bite, and the Father, pursuing the Snake, aimed a blow at
him, and cut off a piece of his tail. The Snake gained his
hole, and the next day the Man came and laid at the mouth
of the hole some honey, meal, and salt, and made offers of
peace, thinking to entice the Snake forth and kill him. " It
won't do," hissed out the Snake. " As long as I miss
my tail, and you your Child, there can be no good-will
between us."
THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE. 97
THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY
MOUSE.
A COUNTRY MOUSE, a plain, sensible sort of fellow, was
once visited by a former companion of his, who lived in a
neighbouring city. The Country Mouse put before his
friend some fine peas, some choice bacon, and a bit of rare
old Stilton, and called upon him to eat heartily of the good
cheer. The City Mouse nibbled a little here and there in a
dainty manner, wondering at the pleasure his host took in
such coarse and ordinary fare. In their after-dinner chat
the Town Mouse said to the Country Mouse, " Really, my
good friend, that you can keep in such spirits in this dismal,
dead-and-alive kind of place, surprises me altogether. You
see here no life, no gaiety, no society in short, but go on
98 /ESOPS FABLES.
and on, in a dull humdrum sort of way, from one year's end
to another. Come now, with me, this very night, and see
with your own eyes what a life I lead." The Country Mouse
consented, and as soon as it fell dark, off they started for the
city, where they arrived just as a splendid supper given by
the master of the house where our town friend lived was over
and the guests had departed. The City Mouse soon got
together a heap of dainties on a corner of the handsome
Turkey carpet. The Country Mouse, who had never even
heard the names of half the meats set before him, was
hesitating where he should begin, when the room-door
creaked, opened, and in entered a servant with a light. The
companions ran off, but everything soon being quiet again,
they returned to their repast, when once more the door
opened, and the son of the master of the house came in
\vith a great bounce, followed by his little Terrier, who
ran sniffing to the very spot where our friends had just
been. The City Mouse was by that time safe in his hole
— which, by the way, he had not been thoughtful enough
to show to his friend, who could find no better shelter than
that afforded by a sofa, behind which he waited in fear
and trembling till quietness was again restored. The City
Mouse then called upon him to resume his supper, but the
Country Mouse said, "No, no ; I shall be off as fast as I
can. I would rather have a crust with peace and quietness,
than all your fine things in the midst of such alarms and
frights as these."
THE PEACOCK AND THE MAGPIE. 99
THE PEACOCK AND THE MAGPIE.
THE birds once met together to choose a king, and among
others the Peacock was a candidate. Spreading his showy
tail, and stalking up and down with affected grandeur, he
caught the eyes of the silly multitude by his brilliant
appearance, and was elected with acclamation. Just as they
were going to proclaim him, the Magpie stept forth into
the midst of the assembly, and thus addressed the new
king : " May it please your majesty elect to permit a humble
admirer to propose a question. As our king, we put our
lives and fortunes in your hands. If, therefore, the Eagle,
the Vulture, and the Kite, our unruly brethren, should in
the future, as they have in times past, make a descent upon
us, what means would you take for our defence ?" This
pithy question opened the eyes of the birds to the weakness
of their choice. They cancelled the election, and have ever
since regarded the Peacock as a vain pretender, and con
sidered the Magpie to be as good a speaker as any of their
number.
ioo sE SOP'S FABLES.
THE SOW AND THE WOLF.
A Sow had just farrowed, and lay in the sty with her whole
litter of pigs about her. A Wolf who longed for a little
one, but knew not how to come by it, endeavoured to
insinuate herself in the good opinion of the mother. " How
do you find yourself to-day, Mrs. Sow?" said she. " A
little fresh air would certainly do you great good. Now, do
go abroad and air yourself a little, and I will with pleasure
mind your young ones till you return." " Many thanks for
your offer," replied the Sow. " I know very well what kind
of care you would take of my little ones. If you really
wished to be as obliging as you pretend to be, you would
not show me your face again."
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES.
A HUNGRY Fox one day saw some tempting Grapes hang
ing at a good height from the ground. He made many
attempts to reach them, but all in vain. Tired out by
his failures, he walked off grumbling to -himself, " Nasty
sour things, I know you are, and not at all fit for a gentle
man's eating."
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES.
THE THRUSH AND THE SWALLOW. 103
THE HUSBANDMAN AND THE STORK.
A HUSBANDMAN set a net in his fields, to take the Cranes
and Geese which came to feed upon the newly-springing
corn. He took several, and with them a Stork, who pleaded
hard for his life, on the ground that he was neither a Goose
nor a Crane, but a poor, harmless Stork. " That may be
very true," replied the Husbandman ; " but as I have taken
you in bad company, you must expect to suffer the same
punishment."
THE THRUSH AND THE SWALLOW.
A YOUNG Thrush, who lived in an orchard, once became
acquainted with a Swallow. A friendship sprang up
between them, and the Swallow, after skimming the orchard
and the neighbouring meadow, would every now and then
come and visit the Thrush. The Thrush, hopping from
/
branch to branch, would welcome him with his most
cheerful note. "Oh, mother!" said he to his parent, one
day, " never had creature such a friend as I have in this
same Swallow." " Nor ever any mother," replied the parent
bird, " such a silly son as I have in this same Thrush.
Long before the approach of winter, your friend will have
left you, and while you sit shivering on a leafless bough,
he will be sporting under sunny skies hundreds of miles
away."
io4 s£ SOP'S FABLES.
THE FOWLER AND THE RING-DOVE.
A FOWLER, seeing a Ring-Dove among the branches of an
oak, put his piece to his shoulder and aimed at the bird.
Just then an Adder, on which unknowingly he had trodden,
bit him in the leg. Feeling the poison spreading in his
veins, he threw down his gun, and exclaimed, " Fate has
justly brought destruction on me while I was contriving the
death of another ! "
THE LION, AND THE ASSES AND HARES.
UPON the breaking out of a war between the birds and the
beasts, the Lion summoned all his subjects between the ages
of sixteen and sixty, to appear in arms at a certain time and
place, upon pain of his high displeasure. A number of
Hares and Asses made their appearance on the field.
Several of the commanders were for turning them off and
discharging them, as creatures utterly unfit for service.
" Do not be too hasty," said the Lion ; " the Asses will do
very well for trumpeters, and the Hares will make excellent
letter-carriers."
THE SENSIBLE Ass.
105
THE SENSIBLE ASS.
AN Old Fellow, in time of war, was allowing his Ass to
feed in a green meadow, when he was alarmed by a sudden
advance of the enemy. He tried every means in his power
to urge the Ass to fly, but in vain. "The enemy are
upon us," said he. " And what will the enemy do ?" asked
the Ass. " Will they put two pairs of panniers on my back,
instead of one?" " No," answered the Man, "there is no
fear of that." "Why then," replied the Ass, " I'll not stir
an inch. I am born to be a slave, and my greatest enemy
is he who gives me most to carry."
io6 s£ 'SOP'S FABLES.
THE WOLVES AND THE SHEEP.
THE Wolves and the Sheep once made a treaty of peace.
The Sheep were to give up their Dogs, and the Wolves
their young ones, as hostages or security for its due ob
servance. The young Wolves cried for their dams, and the
Wolves thereupon alleged that the peace had been broken,
and set upon the Sheep, who, deprived of their defenders
the Dogs, could make no resistance.
THE YOUNG MAN AND HIS CAT.
A YOUNG MAN became so fond of his Cat, that he made her
his constant companion, and used to declare that if she were
a woman he would marry her. Venus at length, seeing
how sincere was his affection, gratified his wishes, and
changed the Cat into a young and blooming woman. They
were accordingly married ; but at night, hearing a Mouse in
the room, the young bride sprang from the arms of her
husband, caught the Mouse, and killed it. , Venus, angry at
this behaviour, and seeing that under the form of a woman
there was still hidden the nature of a Cat, determined that
form and nature should no longer disagree, and changed
her back again to a Cat.
THE HART AND THE VINE, 107
THE MAN AND THE FOXES.
A MAN whose vines and orchards had suffered greatly from
the ravages of Foxes, one day caught one of these animals
in a trap. In a great rage he tied up the Fox's tail with
tow that had been steeped in turpentine, set a light to it,
and let him run. Mad with pain and fright, the Fox ran
through a large field in which, ripe for the harvest, stood
corn belonging to his tormentor. The corn caught fire,
and the flames, fanned by the wind, spread over the field
and laid it waste. The Man lamented bitterly that he had
not chosen some safer and less cruel means of revenge.
THE HART AND THE VINE.
A HART being hard pursued by the hunters, hid himself
under the broad leaves of a shady, spreading Vine. When
the hunters had gone by, and given him over for lost, he
thought himself quite secure, and began to crop and eat
the leaves of the Vine. The rustling of the branches drew
the eyes of the hunters that way, and they shot their arrows
there at a venture, and killed the Hart. In dying, he ad
mitted that he deserved his fate, for his ingratitude in
destroying the friend who had so kindly sheltered him in
time of danger.
io8
FABLES.
THE EAGLE AND THE CROW.
A CROW watched an Eagle swoop with a majestic air from
a neighbouring cliff upon a flock of Sheep, and carry away
a Lamb in his talons. The whole thing looked so graceful
and so easy withal, that the Crow at once proceeded to
imitate it, and pouncing upon the back of the largest and
fattest Ram he could see, he tried to make off with it. He
found not only that he could not move the Ram, but that
his claws got so entangled in the animal's fleece, that he
could not get away himself. He therefore became an easy
prey to the Shepherd, who, coming up at the time, caught
him, cut his wings, and gave him to his children for a
plaything.
THE EAGLE AND THE CROW.
THE HUSBANDMAN THAT LOST HIS MATTOCK. m
THE HUSBANDMAN THAT LOST HIS
MATTOCK.
A HUSBANDMAN, busily employed in trenching his vineyard,
laid down for awhile the Mattock he was using. When he
went to take it up again, it was gone. He called together
all his hired men, and asked them if they had seen the tool.
They all denied any knowledge of it ; and the Man, in a
great rage, said he knew that one of them must have taken
it, and, let it cost him what it might, he would find out the
thief. With that view he insisted upon their going with
him to the shrine of a famous oracle in a neighbouring city.
Arrived within the city gates, they stopped at the fountain
in the market-place, to bathe their feet. Just at that
moment the town-crier came up, and in a loud voice
announced that, the sacred shrine having been robbed last
night, he was told to offer a large reward to any one who
could discover the thief. Thereupon the Husbandman at
once called upon his men to turn their faces homewards.
" If this god," said he, " cannot tell who has robbed his
temple, the chances are that he knows as little who has
taken my Mattock."
112
s£ SOP'S FABLES.
THE GNAT AND THE BULL.
A STURDY Bull was driven by the heat of the weather
to wade up to his knees in a cool and swift-running
stream. He had not been long there when a Gnat, that
had been disporting itself in the air, pitched upon one of
his horns. " My dear fellow," said the Gnat, with as
great a buzz as he could manage, " pray excuse the
liberty I take. If I am too heavy, only say so, and I
will go at once and rest upon the poplar which grows
hard by at the edge of the stream." " Stay or go, it
makes no matter to me," replied the Bull. " Had it not
been for your buzz I should not even have known you
were there."
THE FOWLER AND THE BLACKBIRD.
THE FOWLER AND THE BLACKBIRD.
A FOWLER setting his nets in order, was curiously watched
by a Blackbird, who could not forbear coming and asking the
Man civilly what he was about. " I am making a nice little
town for such as you," answered the Fowler, " and putting
into it food and all manner of conveniencies." He then
departed and hid himself. The Blackbird believing his
words, came into the nets and was taken. " If this be your
faith and honesty," said he to the Man, " I hope your town
will have but few inhabitants."
ii4 s£ SOP'S FABLES.
THE TRUMPETER TAKEN PRISONER.
UPON the defeat of an army in battle, a Trumpeter was
taken prisoner. The soldiers were about to put him to
death, when he cried, " Nay, gentlemen, why should you
kill me? This hand of mine is guiltless of a single life."
" Yes," replied the soldiers ; " but with that braying instru
ment of yours you incite others, and you must share the
same fate as they."
THE ASS LADEN WITH SALT AND WITH
SPONGE.
A MAN drove his Ass to the sea-side, and having pur
chased there a load of Salt, proceeded on his way home.
In crossing a stream the Ass stumbled and fell. It was
some time before he regained his feet, and by that time
the Salt had all melted away, and he was delighted to
find that he had lost his burden. A little while after
that, the Ass, when laden with Sponges, had occasion to
cross the same stream. Remembering his former good-
luck, he stumbled this time on purpose., and was sur
prised to find that his load, so far from disappearing,
became many times heavier than before.
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE.
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE.
THE Hare, one day, laughing at the Tortoise for his
slowness and general unvvieldiness, was challenged by the
latter to run a race. The Hare, looking on the whole affair
as a great joke, consented, and the Fox was selected to act
as umpire, and hold the stakes. The rivals started, and
the Hare, of course, soon left the Tortoise far behind.
Having reached midway to the goal, she began to play
about, nibble the young herbage, and amuse herself in
many ways. The day being warm, she even thought she
would take a little nap in a shady spot, as, if the Tortoise
should pass her while she slept, she could easily overtake
him again before he reached the end. The Tortoise mean
while plodded on, unwavering and unresting, straight
towards the goal. The Hare, having overslept herself,
started up from her nap, and was surprised to find that the
Tortoise was nowhere in sight. Off she went at full speed,
but on reaching the winning-post,, found that the Tortoise
was already there, waiting for her arrival.
n6 sEsop's FABLES.
THE FOX AND THE BOAR.
A BOAR stood whetting his tusks against an old tree. A
Fox happened to pass by, and asked him what he meant by
such warlike preparation, there being, as far as he knew, no
enemy in sight. " That may be," answered the Boar ;
" but when the enemy is in sight it is time to think
about something else/'
THE SICK STAG.
A STAG, whose joints had become stiff with old age, was
at great pains to get together a large heap of fodder-
enough, as he thought, to last him for the remainder of
his days. He stretched himself out upon it, and, now
dozing, now nibbling, made up his mind to quietly wait
for the end. He had always been of a gay and lively
turn, and had made in his time many friends. These
now came in great numbers to see him, and wish him
farewell. While engaged in friendly talk over past
adventures and old times, what more natural than that
they should help themselves to a little of the food which
seemed so plentifully stored around ? The end of the
matter was, that the poor Stag died not so much of
sickness or of old a^e as for sheer want of the food
o
which his friends had eaten for him.
THE FOX AND THE BOAR.
THE HORSE AND THE LADEN Ass. 119
THE ASS EATING THISTLES.
AN Ass laden with very choice provisions, which he was
carrying in harvest-time to the field, for the entertainment
of his master and the reapers, stopped by the way to eat a
large and strong Thistle that grew by the roadside. " Many
people would wonder," said he, " that with such delicate
viands within reach, I do not touch them ; but to me this
bitter and prickly Thistle is more savoury and relishing than
anything else in the world."
THE HORSE AND THE LADEN ASS.
A FULL-FED, lazy Horse was travelling along in company
with a heavily-laden Ass, belonging to the same master.
The Ass, whose back was nearly breaking with his load,
besought the Horse, for the sake of common kindness, to
take a portion of it. The Horse, in his pride and ill-
nature, refused ; and the poor Ass, after staggering on a
little further, fell down and died. The master thereupon
laid the whole of the burden upon the Horse's back, and
the skin of the Ass besides.
120 AL SOP'S FABLES.
THE PEACH, THE APPLE, AND THE
BLACKBERRY.
THERE happened a controversy once between a Peach and
an Apple as to which was the fairer fruit of the two.
They were so loud in their discourse, that a Blackberry
from the next hedge overheard them. "Come," said the
Blackberry, " we are all friends, and pray let us have no
jangling among ourselves."
THE DRUNKEN HUSBAND.
A CERTAIN woman had a Drunken Husband, whom she had
tried in many ways to reclaim. It was all of no use.
One night when he was brought home, as usual, quite un
conscious, she had him carried to a neighbouring tomb.
Dressing herself in a weird costume, and with a mask upon
her face, she awaited his return to his senses. Then,
advancing in a solemn manner, she offered him some food,
saying in a sepulchral tone, " Arise and eat. It is my
office to bring food to the dead/' " Ah," said he, " if you
had known me better, you would have brought me some
thing to drink instead."
THE OLD MAN AND DEATH.
I 21
THE OLD MAN AND DEATH.
A POOR and toil-worn Peasant, bent with years, and
groaning beneath the weight of a heavy faggot of firewood
which he carried, sought, weary and sore-footed on a long
and dusty road, to gain his distant cottage. Unable to bear
the weight of his burden any longer, he let it fall by the
roadside,' and sitting down upon it, lamented his hard fate.
What pleasure had he known since first he drew breath in
this sad world ? From dawn to dusk one round of ill-
requited toil ! At home, empty cupboards, a discontented
wife, and disobedient children ! He called on Death to
free him from his troubles. At once the King of Terrors
stood before him, and asked him what he wanted. Awed
122 s£sop's FABLES.
at the ghastly presence, the Old Fellow stammering said,
it was nothing more than to have helped once more
upon his shoulders the bundle of sticks which he had
let fall.
THE OLD WOMAN AND THE DOCTOR.
AN Old Woman that had bad eyes called in a clever
Doctor, who agreed for a certain sum to cure them. He
was a very clever Doctor, but he was also a very great
rogue ; and when he called each day and bound up the
Old Woman's eyes, he took advantage of her blindness
to carry away with him some article of her furniture.
This went on until he pronounced the Woman cured.
Her room was then nearly bare. He claimed his reward,
but the Old Lady protested that, so far from being cured,
her sight was worse than ever. " We will soon see about
that, my good Woman," said he ; and she was shortly
after summoned to appear in Court. " May it please your
Honour," said she to the Judge, " before I called in this
Doctor I could see a score of things in my room that
now, when he says I am cured, I cannot see at all."
This opened the eyes of the Court to the knavery of the
Doctor, who was forced to give the Old Woman her
property back again, and was not allowed to claim a
penny of his fee.
THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.
THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.
A WOLF, wrapping himself in the skin of a Sheep, by
that means got admission into a sheepfold, where he de
voured several of the young Lambs. The Shepherd, how
ever, soon found him out and hung him up to a tree, still
in his assumed disguise. Some other Shepherds passing
that way, thought it was a Sheep hanging, and cried to
their friend, "What, brother! is that the way you serve
Sheep in this part of the country?" " No, friends," cried
he, giving at the same time the carcase a swing round,
so that they might see what it was ; " but it is the way to
serve Wolves, even though they be dressed in Sheep's
clothing."
•j 2 j. ^E SOP'S FABLES.
THE MAN AND THE WEASEL.
A MAN caught a Weasel, and was about to kill it. The
little animal prayed earnestly for his life. "You will not
be so unkind," said he to the Man, " as to slay a poor
creature who kills your Mice for you?" "For me!"
answered the Man ; " that's a good joke. For me, you say,
as if you did not catch them more for your own pleasure
than for my profit. And in respect of eating and gnawing
my victuals, you know that you do as much harm as the
Mice themselves. You must make some better excuse than
that, before I shall feel inclined to spare you." Having
said this, he strangled the Weasel without more ado.
THE COVETOUS MAN.
A MISER once buried all his money in the earth, at the foot
of a tree, and went every day to feast upon the sight of his
treasure. A thievish fellow, who had watched him at this
occupation, came one night and carried off the gold. The
next day the Miser, finding his treasure gone, tore his
clothes and filled the air with his lamentations. One of
his neighbours told him that if he viewed the matter aright
he had lost nothing. "Go every day," said he, " and fancy
your money is there, and you will be as well off as ever."
THE COVETOUS MAN.
THE BEES, THE DRONES, AND THE WASP. 127
THE HEN AND THE SWALLOW.
THERE was once a foolish Hen, that sat brooding upon a
nest of Snakes' eggs. A Swallow perceiving it, flew to her,
and told her what danger she was in, " Be assured," said
she, " you are hatching your own destruction. The mo
ment these young ones see the light, they will turn and
wreak their venomous spite upon you."
THE BEES, THE DRONES, AND THE WASP.
A PARTY of Drones got into a hive, and laying claim to
the honey and comb which they found there, tried to force
the Bees to quit. The Bees, however, made a sturdy
resistance, and the Drones were not unwilling to agree to
their proposal that the dispute should be referred for judg
ment to the Wasp. The Wasp, pretending that it was a
hard matter to decide, directed both parties to make and fill
some comb before him in court, so that he might see whose
production most resembled the property in dispute. The
Bees at once set to work, but the Drones refused the trial ;
so the verdict was given by Judge Wasp in favour of the
Bees.
128 ^E SOP'S FABLES.
THE FISHERMAN AND TROUBLED WATER.
A CERTAIN Fisherman having laid his nets in a river, took
a long pole, and fell a-beating the water, to frighten the fish
into his nets. One of the people who lived thereabout
came and said to him, with surprise, " Why, what are you
doing there, splashing and dashing the water about at that
rate? You muddle the stream, and completely spoil our
drink." "Well," replied the Fisherman, "all I know is, I
must either spoil your drink, or have nothing to eat."
THE FROG AND THE MOUSE.
A FROG and a Mouse, who had long been rivals for the
sovereignty of a certain marsh, and had many a skirmish
and running fight together, agreed one day to settle the
matter, once for all, by a fair and open combat. They met,
and each, armed with the point of a bulrush for a spear,
was ready, if need be, to fight to the death. The fight
began in earnest, and there is no knowing how it might
have ended, had not a Kite, seeing them from afar, pounced
down and carried off both heroes in her talons.
THE ANGLER AND THE LITTLE FISH.
129
THE ANGLER AND THE LITTLE FISH.
A FISHERMAN who 'had caught a very little Fish was about
to throw him into his basket. The little fellow, gasping,
pleaded thus for his life : " What ! you are never going to
keep such a little chap as I am, not one quarter grown !
Fifty such as I am wouldn't make a decent dish. Do throw
me back, and come and catch me again when I am bigger."
" It's all very well to say ' Catch me again/ my little fellow,"
replied the Man, " but you know you'll make yourself very
scarce for the future. You're big enough to make one in a
frying-pan, so in you go."
S£SOP'S FABLES.
THE HARE AND THE HOUND.
A DOG having given a long chase to a fine Hare, that
showed himself to be a splendid runner, was at length
forced, by want of breath, to give over the pursuit. The
owner of the Dog thereupon taunted him upon his want
of spirit in having allowed himself to be beaten by the
Hare. " Ah, master," answered the Dog, " it's all very
well for you to laugh, but we had not the same stake at
hazard. He was running for his life, while I was only
running for my dinner."
THE BLACKAMOOR.
A CERTAIN Man who had bought a Blackamoor, said it
was all nonsense about black being the natural colour of his
skin. "He has been dirty in his habits," said he, "and
neglected by his former masters. Bring me some hot
water, soap, and scrubbing-brushes, and a little sand, and
we shall soon see what his colour is." So he scrubbed, and
his servants scrubbed, till they were all tired. They made
no difference in the colour of the Blackamoor ; but the end
of it all was, that the poor fellow caught cold and died.
THE TRA VELLERS.
THE THIEVES AND THE COCK.
SOME Thieves once broke into a house, but found nothing
in it worth carrying off but a Cock. The poor Cock said
as much for himself as a Cock could say, urging them to
remember his services in calling people up to their work
when it was time to rise. " Nay," said one of the Robbers,
" you had better say nothing about that. You alarm people
and keep them waking, so that it is impossible for us to rob
in comfort'
As two Men were travelling through a wood, one of them
took up an axe which he saw lying upon the ground.
" Look here," said he to his companion, " I have found an
axe." " Don't say '/have found it/" says the other, "but
' We have found it.' As we are companions, we ought to
share it between us." The first would not, however, con
sent. They had not gone far, when they heard the owner of
the axe calling after them in a great passion. "We are in
for it!" said he who had the axe. " Nay," answered the
other, "say, */'m in for it!' — not ive. You would not let
me share the prize, and I am not going to share the danger."
FABLES.
THE COCK AND THE FOX.
A COCK, perched among the branches of a lofty tree,
crowed aloud. The shrillness of his voice echoed through
the wood, and the well-known note brought a Fox, who
was prowling in quest of prey, to the spot. Reynard,
seeing the Cock was at a great height, set his wits to work
to find some way of bringing him down. He saluted the
bird in his mildest voice, and said, " Have you not heard,
cousin, of the proclamation of universal peace and harmony
among all kinds of beasts and birds ? We are no longer
to prey upon and devour one another, but love and friend
ship are to be the order of the day. Do come down, and
we will talk over this great news at our leisure." The
Cock, who knew that the Fox was only at his old tricks,
pretended to be watching something in the distance, and
the Fox asked him what it was he looked at so
earnestly. " Why," said the Cock, " I think I see a pack
of Hounds yonder." " Oh, then," said the Fox, " your
humble servant; I must be gone." "Nay, cousin," said
the Cock ; " pray do not go : I am just coming down. You
are surely not afraid of Dogs in these peaceable times ! "
" No, no," said the Fox ; " but ten to one whether they
have heard of the proclamation yet."
THE COCK AND THE FOX.
THE LION, THE Fox, AND THE WOLF. 135
MERCURY AND THE CARVER.
MERCURY, having a mind to know how much he was
esteemed among men, disguised himself, and going into a
Carver's shop, where little images were sold, saw those of
Jupiter, Juno, himself, and most of the other gods and
goddesses. Pretending that he wanted to buy, he said to
the Carver, pointing to the figure of Jupiter, " What do
you ask for that ?" " A shilling," answered the Man.
" And what for that ?" meaning Juno. " Ah," said the
man, " I must have something more for that — eighteen-
pence, let us say/' " Well, and what, again, is the price of
this?" said Mercury, laying his hand on a figure of him
self, with wings, rod, and all complete. " Why," replied
the man, " if you really mean business, and will buy the
other two, I'll throw you that fellow into the bargain."
THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE WOLF.
THE King of the Forest was once long and seriously ill,
and his majesty's temper not being at all improved by the
trial, the Fox, with his usual discretion, kept away from
Court as much as he could. He slunk about, however,
as near as he was able without being seen, and one day
overheard the Wolf talking to the Lion about him. The
Wolf and the Fox were never good friends, and the Wolf
136 s£ SOP'S FABLES.
was now calling the Lion's attention to the fact that the
Fox had not shown his face for a long time at Court,
and added that he had strong reasons for suspecting that
he was busily engaged in hatching some treason or other.
The Lion thereupon commanded that the Fox should be
brought at once to his presence, and the Jackal was
accordingly sent to look for him. The Fox, being asked
what he had to say for himself, replied that his absence,
so far from arising from any want of respect for his
sovereign, was the result of his extreme concern for his
welfare. He had gone far and wide, he said, and con
sulted the most skilful physicians as to what was the
best thing to be done to cure the King's most grievous
malady. " They say," stated he (and here he gave a
malicious leer at the Wolf), " that the only thing to save
your majesty's life is to wrap yourself in the warm skin
torn from a newly-killed Wolf." The Lion, eager to try
the experiment, at once dragged the Wolf towards him,
and killed him on the spot.
THE MAN AND HIS WOODEN GOD.
THE MAN AND HIS WOODEN GOD.
A POOR Man, who longed to get rich, used to pray day
and night for wealth, to a Wooden Idol which he had in
his house. Notwithstanding all his prayers, instead of
becoming richer, he got poorer. Out of all patience with
his Idol, he one day took it by the legs, and dashed it to
pieces upon the floor. Hundreds of gold pieces, which had
been hidden in the body, flew about the room. Transported
at the sight, he exclaimed, " How have I wasted my time in
worshipping a graceless deity, who yields to force what he
would not grant to prayers ! "
18
138 sE SOP'S FABLES.
THE APE AND HER TWO YOUNG ONES.
AN Ape who had two Young Ones was very fond of one,
and took but little notice of the other. One day, finding
the Dogs after her, she caught up her pet in her arms, and
ran off. Blind with fright, she knocked the Little One's
head against a tree, and dashed out its brains. The other
Young One, W7ho had clung by himself to his mother's
rough back, escaped unharmed.
THE FOX IN THE WELL.
AN unlucky Fox having fallen into a Well, was able, by
dint of great efforts, just to keep his head above water.
While he was there struggling, and sticking his claws
into the side of the Well, a Wolf came by and looked in.
" What ! my dear brother," said he, with affected concern,
" can it really be you that I see down there ? How cold
you must feel ! How long have you been in ? How came
you to fall in ? I am so pained to see you. Do tell me
all about it!" "The end of a rope would be of more use
to me than all your pity," answered the Fox. " Just help
me to set my foot once more on solid ground, and you
shall have the whole story."
THE KNIGHT AND HIS CHARGER.
139
THE KNIGHT AND HIS CHARGER.
A CERTAIN Knight, in time of war, took great pains to
keep his Horse well fed and cared-for, and in first-rate
condition. When the war was over, the Knight's pay
was reduced, and he allowed his Horse, that had carried
him nobly through many a hot engagement, to be used for
dragging huge logs of timber, and for hire in many other
rough and disagreeable ways. Being thus hardly fed and
badly treated, the animal's strength and spirit fell away.
It was not long before the war was renewed, and the
Knight, taking his Horse to himself again, tried, by good
feeding and better treatment, to make him into a battle-
steed once more. There was not time for this, however;
and the Horse, as his weak legs gave way under him
in a charge, said to his master, " It is too late now to
repair your neglect. You have degraded me from a
Horse into an Ass. It is not my fault that I can no
longer bear you as before."
140 ^E 'SOP'S FABLES.
THE BEAR AND THE BEE-HIVES.
A BEAR that had found his way into a garden where* Bees
were kept, began to turn over the Hives and devour the
honey. The Bees settled in swarms about his head, and
stung his eyes and nose so much, that, maddened with
pain, he tore the skin from his head with his own claws.
THE HUSBANDMAN AND THE EAGLE.
A HUSBANDMAN, who was out walking one fine day, met
with an Eagle caught in a snare. Struck with the beauty
of the bird, and being a kind-hearted fellow, he let the
Eagle fly. The sun was shining fiercely, and the Man
soon after sought out a cool spot in the shadow of an
old wall, and sat down upon a stone. He was surprised,
in a few moments, by the Eagle making a descent upon
his head and carrying off his hat. The bird bore it off
to some distance, and let it fall. The Man ran after his
hat and picked it up, wondering why an Eagle to which
he had shown so much kindness should play him such
a mischievous trick in return. He turned round to go
back again to his seat by the wall, and great was his
astonishment and thankfulness to see, where the wall
had stood, nothing but a heap of stones.
THE BEAR AND THE BEEHIVES.
THE SHEPHERD TURNED MERCHANT. 143
THE FOX AND THE WOLF.
A WOLF who lived in a cave, having laid in a good
store of provisions, kept himself very close, and set to
work to enjoy them. A Fox, who missed the Wolf from
his usual haunts, at last found out where he was, and,
under pretence of asking after his health, came to the
mouth of the cave and peeped in. He expected to be asked
inside to partake, but the Wolf gruffly said that he was
far too ill to see anybody. So the Fox trotted off again,
in anything but a charitable state of mind. Away he went
to a Shepherd, and told the Man to provide himself with
a good stick and come with him, and he would show him
where to find a Wolf. The Shepherd came accordingly, and
killed the Wolf. The Fox thereupon took possession of the
cave and its stores. He did not, however, long enjoy the
fruits of his treachery, for the Man, passing by that way a
few days after, looked into the cave, and seeing the Fox
there, killed him too.
THE SHEPHERD TURNED MERCHANT.
A SHEPHERD that kept his Sheep at no great distance
from the sea, one day drove them close to the shore, and
sat down on a rock to enjoy the cool breeze. It was a beau
tiful summer day, and the ocean lay before him, calm,
*
144 sEsop's FABLES.
smooth, and of an enchanting blue. As he watched the white
sails, and listened to the measured plash of the tiny wave
lets on the pebbled beach, his heart thrilled with pleasure.
" How happy," exclaimed he, " should I be if, in a tight,
trim bark of my own, with wings like a bird, I could
skim that lovely plain, visit other lands, see other peoples,
and become rich in ministering to their wants and*
pleasures !" He sold his flock, and all that he had, bought
a small ship, loaded her with dates, and set sail. A
storm arose : the cargo was thrown overboard to lighten
the ship, but in spite of all efforts she was driven upon a rock
near the shore, and went to pieces. The Shepherd narrowly
escaped with his life, and was afterwards glad to earn his
bread by watching the flock which had formerly been his
own. In the course of time, when, by care and frugality,
he had again become possessed of some amount of wealth,
he happened to find himself sitting on the self-same rock,
and on just such another day as that on which he had
resolved to become a Merchant. " Deceitful and tempting
element!" cried he to the sea; " in vain you try to engage
me a second time. Others may confide their treasure to
your treacherous care, but never, while I live, will I trust
thy faithless bosom more."
THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER.
THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER.
A GRASSHOPPER that had merrily sung all the summer, was
almost perishing with hunger in the v/inter. So she went
to some Ants that lived near, and asked them to lend her a
little of the food they had put by. " You shall certainly
be paid before this time of year comes again," said she.
"What did you do all the summer?" asked they. "Why,
all day long, and all night long too, I sang, if you please,"
answered the Grasshopper." "Oh, you sang, did you?" said
the Ants. " Now, then, you can dance."
i_j.6 sEsoPS FABLES.
THE DOG INVITED TO SUPPER.
A CERTAIN rich man invited a person of high rank to sup
with him. Extraordinary preparations were made for the
repast, and all the delicacies of the season provided. The
Dog of the host, having long wished to entertain another
Dog, a friend of his, thought this would be a capital time,
to ask him to come. As soon, therefore, as it fell dusk,
the invited Dog came, and was shown by his friend into
the kitchen. The preparations there filled him with
astonishment, and he resolved that when the time came,
he would eat enough to last him a week. He wagged his
tail so hard, and licked his chaps in anticipation with so
much vigour, that he attracted the notice of the head cook,
who, seeing a strange Dog about, caught him up by the
tail, and after giving him a swing in the air, sent him
flying through the open window into the street. He limped
away, and was soon surrounded by a lot of Curs to whom
he had boasted of his invitation. They asked him eagerly
how he had fared, " Oh, rarely," answered he. " I went
on to that extent, that I hardly knew which way I got out
of the house."
THE LION AND THE ELEPHANT.
1 17
THE LION AND THE ELEPHANT.
THE Lion complained most sadly that a beast with such
claws, teeth, and strength as he possessed, should yet be
moved to a state of abject terror at the crowing of a
Cock. " Can life be worth having," said he, " when so
vile a creature has the power to rob it of its charms?"
Just then, a huge Elephant came along, flapping his ears
quickly to 'and fro, with an air of great concern. " What
troubles you so?" said the Lion to the Elephant. "Can
any mortal thing have power to harm a beast of your
tremendous bulk and strength?" "Do you see this little
buzzing Gnat?" replied the Elephant; "let him but
sting the inmost recesses of my ear, and I shall go mad
with pain." The Lion thereupon took heart again, and
determined not to let troubles, which he shared in com
mon with all created things, blind him to what was
pleasant in life.
148 s£ SOP'S FABLES.
THE WOLVES AND THE SICK ASS.
AN Ass being sick, the report of it was spread abroad in
the country, and some did not hesitate to say that she
would die before the night was over. Upon this, several
Wolves came to the stable where she lay, and rapping at
the door, inquired how she did. The young Ass came out,
and told them that her mother was much better than they
desired.
THE LION AND THE GNAT.
A LIVELY and impudent Gnat was daring enough to
attack a Lion, whom he so enraged by stinging the most
sensitive parts of his nose, eyes, and ears, that the beast
roared in anguish, and, maddened with pain, tore himself
cruelly with his claws. All the attempts of the Lion to
crush the Gnat were in vain, and the insect returned
again and again to the charge. At last the poor beast
lay exhausted and bleeding upon the ground. The Gnat,
hovering over the spot, and sounding a tiny trumpet note
of triumph, happened to come in the way of the delicate
web of a Spider, which, slight as it was, was enough to
stop him in his career. His efforts to escape only fixed
him more firmly in the toils, and he who had vanquished
the Lion became the prey of the Spider.
THE WOLVES AND THE SICK ASS.
THE FIGHTING COCKS,
JUPITER AND THE HERDSMAN.
A HERDSMAN missing a young Heifer that belonged to
the herd, went up and down the forest to seek it. Not
being able to find it, he prayed to Jupiter, and promised
to sacrifice a Kid if he would help him to find the thief.
He then went on a little further, and suddenly came upon
a Lion, grumbling over the carcase of the Heifer, and
feeding upon it. "Great Jupiter!" cried the Man, "I
promised thee a Kid, if thou wouldst show me the thief. I
now offer thee a full-grown Bull, if thou wilt mercifully
deliver me safe from his clutches."
THE FIGHTING COCKS.
Two Cocks fought for the sovereignty of the dunghill.
One was severely beaten, and ran and hid himself in a
hole. The conqueror flew to the top of an outhouse, there
clapped his wings, and crowed out "Victory!" Just then
an Eagle made a stoop, trussed him, and carried him
off. The other, seeing this from his hiding-place, came
out and, shaking off the recollection of his late disgrace,
strutted about among his Hens with all the dignity
imaginable.
152 ^E 'SOPS FABLES.
THE JACKDAW AND THE SHEEP.
A JACKDAW sat chattering upon the back of a Sheep.
" Peace, you noisy thing!" said the Sheep. " If I were a
Dog, you would not serve me so." " True," replied the
Jackdaw ; " I know that. I never meddle with the surly
and revengeful, but I love to plague helpless creatures like
you, that cannot do me any harm in return."
THE CATS AND THE MICE.
IN former times a fierce and lasting war raged between the
Cats and Mice, in which, time after time, the latter had to
fly. One day when the Mice in council were discussing the
cause of their ill-luck, the general opinion seemed to be that
it was the difficulty of knowing, in the heat of the conflict,
who were their leaders, that led to their discomfiture and
utter rout. It was decided that in future each chief of a
division should have his head decorated with some thin
straws, so that all the Mice would then know to whom they
were to look for orders. So after the Mice had drilled and
disciplined their numbers, they once more gave battle to the
Cats. The poor fellows again met with no better success.
The greater part reached their holes in safety, but the
chieftains were prevented by their strange head-gear from
entering their retreats, and without exception fell a prey to
their ruthless pursuers.
THE SPARROW AND THE HARE.
THE SPARROW AND THE HARE.
A HARE being seized by an Eagle, cried out in a piteous
manner. A Sparrow sitting on a tree close by, so far from
pitying the poor animal, made merry at his expense.
"Why did you stay there to betaken?" said he. "Could
not so swift a creature as you are have easily escaped
from an Eagle?" Just then a Hawk swooped down and
carried off the Sparrow, who, when he felt the Hawk's talons
in his sides, cried still more loudly than the Hare. The
Hare, in the agonies of death, received comfort from the
fact that the fate of the mocking Sparrow was no better
than his own.
20
FABLES.
THE PLOUGHMAN AND FORTUNE.
As a Countryman was one day turning up the ground with
his plough, he came across a great store of treasure.
Transported with joy, he fell upon the earth and thanked
her for her kindness and liberality. Fortune appeared, and
said to him, "You thank the ground thus warmly, and
never think of me. If, instead of finding this treasure, you
had lost it, I should have been the first you would have
blamed."
THE LION, THE FOX, AND THE ASS.
AN Ass and a Fox were rambling through a forest one
day, when they were met by a Lion. The Fox was
seized with great fear, and taking the first opportunity
of getting the ear of the Lion, thought to obtain his own
safety at the expense of that of his companion. " Sire,"
said he, " yon same Ass is young and plump, and if
your majesty would care to make a dinner off him, I
know how he might be caught without much trouble.
There is a pit-fall not far away, into which I can easily
lead him." The Lion agreed, and seeing the Ass securely
taken, he began his dinner by devouring the traitorous
Fox, reserving the Ass to be eaten at his leisure.
THE Ass CARRYING AN IDOL. 155
THE ASS CARRYING AN IDOL.
THE master of an Ass was employed to take an Idol
from the shop of the sculptor where it was made to the
temple in which it was to be placed. For this purpose
it was put on the back of the Ass, and carried through
the principal streets of the city. Seeing that all the
people, as he went along, bent themselves in lowly reve
rence, the animal fancied that it was to him that they
were doing obeisance, and in consequence pricked up his
ears, flourished his tail, and felt as proud as might be.
The Idol once delivered, the man mounted his Ass and
rode him home. The man was not at all pleased with
the amount he had received for the job, and the poor
brute, feeling the weight of his master's cudgel, and
finding that the people now took not the slightest notice
as he passed, saw that it was to the Idol, and not to
himself, that the homage had been paid.
^E SOP>S FABLES.
THE KID AND THE WOLF.
A KID, mounted upon a high rock, bestowed all manner of
abuse upon a Wolf on the ground below. The Wolf,
looking up, replied, " Do not think, vain creature, that you
annoy me. I regard the ill language as coming not from
you, but from the place upon which you stand."
THE WOLF AND THE ASS.
THE Wolves once selected one of their number to be
their ruler. The Wolf that was chosen was a plausible,
smooth-spoken rascal, and on a very early day he addressed
an assembly of the Wolves as follows : " One thing,"
he said, " is of such vital importance, and will tend so
much to our general welfare, that I cannot impress it too
strongly upon your attention. Nothing cherishes true
brotherly feeling and promotes the general good so much
as the suppression of all selfishness. Let each one of
you, then, share with any hungry brother who may be
near whatever in hunting may fall to your lot." " Hear,
hear!" cried an Ass, who listened to the speech; "and
of course you yourself will begin with the fat Sheep that
you hid yesterday in a corner of your lair."
THE KID AND THE WOLF.
THE A ss's SHADOW. 159
THE WOLF AND THE SHEEP.
A WOLF that had been sorely worried, and left for dead,
by the Dogs, lay not far from a running stream. Parched
with thirst, the babble of the brook sounded most tempt
ingly in his ears, and he felt that one cool, delicious
draught might yet restore to him some hope of life.
Just then a Sheep passed near. " Pray, sister, bring me
some water from yon stream," said he. "Water is all I
want ; I do not ask for meat/' " Yes," replied the
Sheep, " I know very well that when I have brought
you water, my body will serve for meat."
THE ASS'S SHADOW.
A MAN, one hot day, hired an Ass, with his Driver, to
carry some merchandise across a sandy plain. The sun's
rays were overpowering, and, unable to advance further
without a temporary rest, he called upon the Driver to
stop, and proceeded to sit down in the Shadow of the
Ass. The Driver, however, a lusty fellow, rudely pushed
him away, and sat down on the spot himself. " Nay,
friend," said the Driver, " when you hired this Ass of
me you said nothing about the Shadow. If now you
want that too, you must pay for it."
!6o sEsop's FABLES.
THE DEER AND THE LION.
A DEER being hard pressed by the Hounds, found a cave,
into which he rushed for safety. An immense Lion, couched
at the farther end of the cave, sprang upon him in an
instant. "Unhappy creature that I am!" exclaimed the
Stag, in his dying moments. " I entered this cave to escape
the pursuit of men and Dogs, and I have fallen into the
jaws of the most terrible of wild beasts."
THE SHEEP AND THE DOG.
THE Sheep one day complained to the Shepherd that
while they were shorn of their fleece, and their young
ones often taken and killed for food, they received nothing
in return but the green herbage of the earth, which grew
of itself, and cost him no pains to procure. " On the
other hand, your Dog," said they, " which gives no wool,
and is of no use for food, is petted and fed with as good
meat as his master." "Peace, bleating simpletons!" re
plied the Dog, who overheard them; "were it not that I
look after and watch you, and keep off Wolves and thieves,
small good would be to you your herbage or anything
else."
THE HORSE AXD THE Liox.
161
THE HORSE AND THE LION.
A LION, who had got old and infirm, saw a fine plump
Nag, and longed for a bit of him. Knowing that .the
animal would prove too fleet for him in the chase, he had
recourse to artifice. He gave out to all the beasts that,
having spent many years in studying physic, he was now
prepared to hea.1 any malady or distemper with which they
might be afflicted. He hoped by that means to get admit
tance among them, and so find a chance of gratifying his
appetite. The Horse, who had doubts of the Lion's honesty,
came up limping, pretending that he had run a thorn into
one of his hind feet, which gave him great pain. The Lion
asked that the foot might be shown to him, and pored over
1 62 ^ SOP'S FABLES.
it with a mock earnest air. The Horse, slyly looking
round, saw that he was preparing to spring, and vigorously
sending out both his heels at once, -gave the Lion such a
kick in the face, that it laid him stunned and sprawling
upon the ground. Then laughing at the success of his
trick, he trotted merrily away.
THE WOLF AND THE KID.
A WOLF spied a Kid that had strayed to a distance
from the herd, and pursued him. The Kid, finding that
he could not escape, waited till the Wolf came up, and
then assuming a cheerful tone, said, " I see clearly enough
that I must be eaten, but I would fain die as pleasantly
as I could. Give me, therefore, a few notes of your pipe
before I go to destruction." It seems that the Wolf was
of a musical turn, and always carried his pipe with him.
The Wolf played and the Kid danced, and the noise of
the pipe brought the Dogs to the spot. The Wolf made
off, saying, " This is what comes when people will go
meddling out of their profession. My business was to
play the butcher, not the piper."
THE HEN AND THE Fox. 163
THE GARDENER AND HIS DOG.
A GARDENER'S Dog, frisking about the brink of a well in
the garden, happened to fall in. The Gardener very readily
ran to his assistance, but as he was trying to help him out,
the Cur bit him by the hand. The Man, annoyed at what
he considered such ungrateful behaviour towards one whose
only aim was to save his life, came away and left the Dog
to drown.
THE HEN AND THE FOX.
A Fox having crept into an outhouse, looked up and down
for something to eat, and at last spied a Hen sitting upon a
perch so high, that he could by no means come at her. He
therefore had recourse to an old stratagem. " Dear cousin,"
said he to her, " How do you do? I heard that you were
ill, and kept at home ; I could not rest, therefore, till I had
come to see you. Pray let me feel your pulse. Indeed,
you do not look well at all." He was running on in this
impudent manner, when the Hen answered him from the
roost, " Truly, dear Reynard, you are in the right. I was
seldom in more danger than I am now. Pray excuse my
coming down ; I am sure I should catch my death if I were
to." The Fox, finding himself foiled, made off, and tried
his luck elsewhere.
164 & 'SOP'S FABLES.
THE MAN AND THE GNAT.
As a clownish fellow was sitting on a bank, a Gnat settled
on his leg and stung it. The Man slapped his leg, meaning
to kill the Gnat, but ifc flew away, and he had nothing but
the blow for his pains. Again and again the insect alighted
upon the leg, and again and again the Man struck at it,
each time more savagely than before. His thigh became
bruised all over, but the Gnat was still unharmed and
lively. Almost mad with rage and disappointment, the
fellow burst into tears. " O mighty Hercules !" cried he,
" nothing can withstand thy power. Aid me, then, I
beseech thee, against this terrible Gnat, which for an hour
has tortured me beyond all bearing!"
THE OLD HOUND.
AN Old Hound, who had hunted well in his time, once
seized a Stag, but from feebleness and the loss of his teeth
was forced to let him go. The master coming up began to
beat the Old Dog cruelly, but left off when the poor animal
addressed him as follows : " Hold, dear master ! You know
well that neither my courage nor my will was at fault, but
only my strength and my teeth, and these I have lost in
your service."
THE OLD HOUND.
THE MOUSE AND THE FROG. 167
THE MOUSE AND THE FROG.
A MOUSE and a Frog had lived some time in intimacy
together, and the Frog had often visited the Mouse's
quarters and been welcome to a share of his store. The
Frog invited the Mouse to his house in return; but as
this was across the stream, the Mouse, alleging that he
could not swim, had hitherto declined to go. The Frog,
however, one day pressed him so much, offering at the
same time to conduct him safely across, that the Mouse
consented. One of the fore-feet of the Mouse was
accordingly bound to one of the hind-legs of the Frog
by a stout blade of grass, and the friends set off to
cross the stream. When about half way across, it
treacherously entered the Frog's head to try to drown
the Mouse. He thought that by that means he should
have undivided possession of the latter's stock of pro
visions. The Frog made for the bottom of the stream,
but the struggles and cries of the Mouse attracted the
attention of a Kite who was sailing above in the air.
He descended and caught up the Mouse. The Frog,
being tied to the Mouse, shared the same fate, and was
justly punished for his treachery.
i68
^£ 'sopys FABLES.
AND HIS FELLOW SERVANTS.
A MERCHANT, who was at one time ^Esop's master,
ordered all things to be got ready for an intended
journey. When the burdens were being shared among
the Servants, ^Esop requested that he might have the
lightest. He was told to choose for himself, and he took
up the basket of bread. The other Servants laughed, for
that was the largest and heaviest of all. When dinner
time came, /Esop, who had with some difficulty sustained
his load, was told to distribute an equal share of bread
all round. He did so, and this lightened his burden one
half ; and when supper-time arrived he got rid of the
rest. For the remainder of the journey he had nothing
but the empty basket to carry, and the other Servants,
whose loads seemed to get heavier and heavier at every
step, could not but applaud his ingenuity.
THE YOUNG MAN AND THE LION.
169
THE FOWLER AND THE LARK.
A LARK, caught in a snare, pleaded earnestly with the
Fowler for her life. " What have I done that I must
die?" said she; " I have stolen neither gold nor silver, but
only a grain of corn to satisfy my hunger." The Man,
without deigning any reply, twisted her neck and threw
her into his sack.
THE YOUNG MAN AND THE LION.
A CERTAIN rich man, lord of a great estate, had an only
son, of whom he was doatingly fond. The Young Man
delighted in hunting, and went every day into the forest, in
170 sEsop's FABLES.
chase of wild beasts. His father believed firmly in dreams,
omens, prognostics, and the like, and dreaming one night
that his son was killed by a Lion, resolved that he should
not go to the forest any more. He therefore built a spacious
tower, and kept the Young Man there closely confined.
That his captivity might be less tedious to bear, he sur
rounded him with books, music, and pictures ; and on the
walls of the tower were painted in life-size all the beasts of
the chase, and among the rest a Lion. The Young Man
stood one day gazing for a long time at this picture, and,
vexation at his unreasonable confinement getting the
mastery over him, he struck the painted Lion a violent
blow with his fist, saying, " Thou, cruel savage, art the
cause of all my grief ! " The point of a nail in the wainscot
under the canvas entered his hand ; the wound became in
flamed, festered, and mortified, and the "Youth died from its
effects.
THE FOX AND THE ASS.
AN Ass finding a Lion's skin, put it on, and ranged about
the forest. The beasts fled in terror, and he was delighted
at the success of his disguise. Meeting a Fox, he rushed
upon him, and this time he tried to imitate as well the
roaring of the Lion. " Ah," said the Fox, " if you had
held your tongue, I should have been deceived like the rest;
but now you bray, I know who you are."
THE Fox AND THE COCK. 171
THE FOX AND THE COCK.
A Fox, passing early one summer's morning near a farm
yard, was caught in a trap which the farmer had planted
there for that purpose. A Cock saw at a distance what
had happened, and hardly daring to trust himself too near
so dangerous a foe, approached him cautiously and peeped
at him, not without considerable fear. Reynard saw him,
and in his most bewitching manner addressed him as
follows : " See, dear cousin," said he, " what an unfortunate
accident has befallen me here ! and, believe me, it is all on
your account. I was creeping through yonder hedge, on
my way homeward, when I heard you crow, and resolved,
before I went any further, to come and ask you how you
did. By the way I met with this disaster. Now if you
would but run to the house and bring me a pointed stick,
I think I could force it into this trap and free myself from
its grip. Such a service I should not soon forget." The
Cock ran off and soon came back, not without the stick;
which, however, was carried in the hand of the sturdy
farmer, to whom he had told the story, and who lost no
time in putting it out of Master Fox's power to do any
harm for the future.
1 72 s£ SOP'S FABLES.
THE GOURD AND THE PINE.
A GOURD was planted close beside a large, well-spread
Pine. The season was kindly, and the Gourd shot itself
up in a short time, climbing by the boughs and twining
about them, till it topped and covered the tree itself.
The leaves were large, and the flowers and fruit fair,
insomuch that the Gourd, comparing itself with the Pine,
had the confidence to value itself above it upon the
comparison. " Why," said the Gourd, " you have been
more years growing to this stature than I have been
days." " Well," replied the Pine, " but after the many
winters and summers that I have endured, the many
blasting colds and parching heats, you see me the very
same thing that I was so long ago. But when you once
come to the proof, the first blight or frost shall most
infallibly bring down that pride of yours, and strip you
of all your glory."
THE GOAT AND THE LION.
THE Lion seeing a Goat skipping about in high glee upon
a steep craggy rock, called to him to come down upon the
green pasture where he stood, and where he would be able
to feed in much greater comfort. The Goat, who saw
through the design of the Lion, replied, " Many thanks for
your advice, dear Lion, but I wonder whether you are
thinking most of my comfort, or how you would relish a
nice morsel of Goat's flesh."
THE GOAT AND THE LION.
THE TONGUES. 175
THE TONGUES.
XANTHUS invited a large company to dinner, and ^Esop
was ordered to furnish the feast with the choicest dainties
that money could procure. The first course consisted of
Tongues, cooked in different ways, and served with appro
priate sauces. This gave rise to a deal of mirth and
witty remarks among the assembled guests. The second
course, however, like the first, was also nothing but
Tongues, and so the third, and the fourth. The matter
seemed to all to have gone beyond a jest, and Xanthus
angrily demanded of ^Esop, " Did I not tell you, sirrah,
to provide the choicest dainties that money could pro
cure?" "And what excels the Tongue?" replied yEsop.
" It is the great channel of learning and philosophy. By
this noble organ addresses and eulogies are made, and
commerce, contracts, and marriages completely established.
Nothing is equal to the Tongue." The company applauded
^Esop's wit, and good-humour was restored. " Well/' said
Xanthus- to the guests, "pray do me the favour of dining
with me again to-morrow. And if this is your best," con
tinued he, turning to ^sop, " pray, to-morrow let us
have some of the worst meat you can find." The next
day, when dinner-time came, the guests were assembled.
Great was their astonishment, and great the anger of
Xanthus, at finding that again nothing but Tongues was
put upon the table. " How, sir," said Xanthus, " should
Tongues be the best of meat one day and the worst
another?" "What," replied yEsop, "can be worse than
y£ 'SOP'S
the Tongue ? What wickedness is there under the sun
that it has not a part in ? Treasons, violence, injustice,
and fraud are debated, resolved upon, and communicated
by the Tongue. It is the ruin of empires, cities, and of
private friendships." The company were more than ever
struck by ^Esop's ingenuity, and successfully interceded
for him with his master.
THE LOCUSTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER.
A BOY, hunting for Locusts, had the fortune to find a
Grasshopper, who, when she was about to be killed,
pleaded thus for her life : " Alas ! I never did anybody
an injury, and never had it either in my will or my
power to do so. All my business is my song ; and what
will you be the better for my death?" The Boy's heart
relented, and he set the simple Grasshopper at liberty.
THE WOLF, THE SHE-GOAT, AND THE KID.
177
THE WOLF, THE SHE-GOAT, AND THE KID.
A SHE-GOAT, leaving her house one morning to look for
food, told her Kid to bolt the door, and to open to no one
who did not give as a pass-word, " A plague on the Wolf,
and all his tribe." A Wolf who was hanging about, unseen
by the Goat, heard her words, and when she was gone,
came and tapped at the door, and imitating her voice, said,
"A plague on the Wolf, and all his tribe." He made sure
that the door would be opened at once ; but the Kid, whose
suspicions were aroused, bade him show his beard, and he
should be admitted directly.
178 dEsop's FABLES.
THE WOMAN AND THE FAT HEN.
A WOMAN had a Hen that laid an egg every day. The
Fowl was of a superior breed, and the eggs were very
fine, and sold for a good price. The Woman thought
that by giving the Hen double as much food as she had
been in the habit of giving, the bird might be brought
to lay two eggs a day instead of one. So the quantity
of food was doubled accordingly, and the Hen grew very
fat, and gave over laying altogether.
THE FORTUNE-TELLER.
A MAN who gave himself out for a Wizard and Fortune
teller, used to stand in the market-place and pretend to
cast nativities, give information as to missing property,
and other matters of the like kind. One day, while he
was busily plying his trade, a waggish fellow broke
through the crowd, and gasping as if for want of breath,
told him that his house was in flames, and must shortly
be burnt to the ground. Off ran the Wizard at the news
as fast as his legs could carry him, while the Wag and
a crowd of other people followed at his heels. The
house, it seems, was not on fire at all ; and the Wag
asked him, amid the jeers of the people, how it was that
he, who was so clever at telling other people's fortunes,
should know so little of his own.
JUPITER AND A BEE. 179
THE BAT AND THE TWO WEASELS.
A WEASEL seized upon a Bat, who begged hard for his
life. " No, no," said the Weasel ; " I give no quarter to
Birds." " Birds!" cried the Bat. "I am no Bird. I
am a Mouse. Look at my body." And so she got off
that time. A few days after she fell into the clutches
of another Weasel, who, unlike the former, had a stronger
antipathy to Mice than to Birds. The Bat cried for
mercy. " No," said the Weasel ; " no mercy to a Mouse."
" But," said the Bat, " you can see from my wings that
I am a Bird/' And so she escaped that time as well.
JUPITER AND A BEE.
A BEE made Jupiter a present of a pot of honey, which
was so kindly taken that he bade her ask what she would,
and it should be granted her. The Bee desired that
wherever she should set her sting it might be mortal.
Jupiter was loth to leave mankind at the mercy of a
little spiteful insect, and was annoyed at the ill-nature of
her wish. He therefore said that, while for his promise
sake he would give her the power to harm, she must be
careful how she used the power, for where she planted
her sting she would leave it, and with it lose her life.
180 ^E SOP'S FABLES.
THE RAVEN AND THE SERPENT.
A HUNGRY Raven, searching for prey, came across a Snake
lying at full length on a sunny bank. He seized him in
his horny beak and would have devoured him, but the
Snake, twisting and turning about, bit the Raven with his
venomous fangs, so that he died in great pain. In dying,
he confessed that he was justly served for seeking to satisfy
his appetite at the expense of another's welfare.
THE FOX AND THE CROW.
A CROW having stolen a piece of cheese from a cottage
window, flew with it to a tree that was some way off.
A Fox, drawn by the smell of the cheese, came and sat
at the foot of the tree, and tried to find some way of
making it his. "Good morning, dear Miss Crow," said he.
" How well you are looking to-day ! What handsome
feathers yours are, to be sure ! Perhaps, too, your voice is
as sweet as your feathers are fine. If so, you are really
the Queen of Birds." The Crow, quite beside herself to
hear such praise, at once opened a wide beak to let the
Fox judge of her voice, and so let fall the cheese. The
Fox snapped it up, and exclaimed, "Ah! ah! my good
soul, learn that all who flatter have their own ends in view.
That lesson will well repay you for a bit of cheese."
^^x^SW
1 - — -^ ^ ^4 l" N •*• -.X
rv^V\
THE FOX AND THE CROW.
THE SEA AND THE RIVERS. 183
THE ASS, THE APE, AND THE MOLE.
AN Ass and an Ape were one day grumbling together
over their respective grievances. " My ears are so long
that people laugh at me," said the Ass; " I wish I had
horns like the Ox." ''And I," said the Ape, "am really
ashamed to turn my back upon any one. Why should
not I have a fine bushy tail as well as that saucy fellow
the Fox?" " Hold your tongues, both of you," said a
Mole that overheard them, " and be thankful for what
you have. The poor Moles have no horns at all, and
no tail to speak of, and are nearly blind as well."
THE SEA AND THE RIVERS.
XANTHUS making merry one day with several students of
philosophy, who were his companions, became intoxicated,
and while in that state one of them, trying to make fun of
him, said, " Xanthus, I have read somewhere that it is
possible for a man to drink up the Sea. Do you believe
it could be done ?" " Yes, easily," said Xanthus. " I'll
wager you my house and lands, and all that I have, that I
can do it myself." The wager was laid, and to confirm
it they exchanged their rings. The next day Xanthus,
missing his ring and finding a strange one in its place,
asked y£sop for an explanation. "Yesterday," replied
1 84
FABLES.
A^sop, "you betted your whole fortune that you would
drink up the sea; and to bind the wager you exchanged
your ring." Xanthus was overwhelmed with perplexity, and
eagerly besought JEsop to tell him what to do. " To per
form your wager," said ^Esop, " you know is impossible,
but I will show you how to evade it." They accordingly
met the scholar, and went with him and a great number of
people to the sea-shore, where ^Esop had provided a table
with several large glasses upon it, and men stood around
with ladles with which to fill them. Xanthus, instructed by
ALsop, gravely took his seat at the table. The beholders
looked on with astonishment, thinking that he must surely
have lost his senses. " My agreement," said he, turning to
the scholar, " is to drink up the Sea. I said nothing of the
Rivers and Streams that are everywhere flowing into it.
Stop up these, and I will proceed to fulfil my engagement."
THE GARDENER AND HIS LANDLORD.
'85
THE FOX AND THE LION.
THE first time the Fox saw the Lion, he nearly died with
fright. The next time, he gathered sufficient courage to
have a good stare. The third time, he went boldly up to
the Lion, and commenced a familiar conversation with him.
THE GARDENER AND HIS LANDLORD.
A SIMPLE sort of Country Fellow, who rented a cottage and
small garden on the outskirts of a park belonging to a
great Squire, was much annoyed at the havoc which a
certain Hare made with his choice and delicate young
vegetables. So off went the Man, one morning, to complain
1 86 sE SOP'S FABLES.
to the Squire. "This Hare," said he, "laughs at all
snares. He has a, charm which keeps off all the sticks and
stones that I throw at him. In plain truth, I believe he is
no Hare at all, but a wizard in disguise." " Nay, were he
the father of all wizards," replied the Squire, who was a
great hunter, " my Dogs will make short work with him.
We'll come to-morrow, and see about it." The next
morning came the Squire with his pack of Hounds, and a
score of friends, huntsmen and others. The Gardener was
at breakfast, and felt bound to ask them to partake. They
praised the fare, which rapidly diminished, and joked so freely
with the Gardener's daughter, a simple, modest girl, that
her father was obliged to interfere, " Now, then, let us beat
for the Hare," cried the Squire ; and the huntsmen blew their
horns with deafening noise, and the Dogs flew here and
there in search of the Hare, who was soon started from
under a big cabbage where he had gone for shelter. Across
the garden ran the Hare, and after him went the Dogs.
Alas for the beds, the frames, the flowers ! Through the
hedge \vent the Hare, and over the beds and through the
hedge after him went the Squire, the friends, the huntsmen,
horses and all. A wreck indeed did the place look, when
they were gone. "Ah!" cried the Countryman, "fool
that I was to go to the great for help! Here is more
damage done in half an hour than all the Hares in the
province would have made in a year!"
JUPITERS Two WALLETS. 187
THE HORSE AND THE HOG.
A HOG that was lazily lying in the sun on a dung-heap
saw a War-Horse advancing, on his way to the battle-field.
The Horse was gaily caparisoned* and proudly spurned the
ground, as if impatient to charge the enemy. The Hog
half lifted his head and, grunting, said to him, " What a
fool you are to be so ready to rush to your death !" " Your
speech," replied the Horse, "fits well a vile animal, that
only lives to get fat and be killed by the knife. If I die
on the field, I die where duty calls me, and I shall leave the
memory of a good name behind.'*
JUPITER'S TWO WALLETS.
WHEN Jupiter made Man, he gave him two Wallets —
one for his neighbour's faults, the other for his own.
He threw them over the Man's shoulder, so that one
hung in front and the other behind. The Man kept the
one in front for his neighbour's faults, and the one
behind for his own ; so that while the first was always
under his nose, it took some pains to see the latter.
This custom, which began thus early, is not quite un
known at the present day.
1 88 sEsop's FABLES.
A BOAR CHALLENGES AN ASS.
SOME hard words passed between a .Boar and an Ass,
and a challenge followed upon them. The Boar, priding
himself upon his tusks, and comparing his head with
the Ass's head, looked forward to the fight with con
fidence. The time for the battle came. The combatants
approached one another. The Boar rushed upon the
Ass, who, suddenly turning round, let his hoofs fly with
all his might right in the jaws of the Boar. The Boar
staggered again. "Well," said he, "who could have
expected an attack from that end ?"
THE ASS AND THE LION HUNTING.
THE Lion once took a fancy to Hunting in company with
•an Ass. He sent the Ass into the forest, and told him to
bray there as hard as he could. " By that means," said he,
"you will rouse all the beasts in the forest. I shall stand
here, and catch all that fly this way." The Ass brayed in
his most hideous manner ; and when the Lion was tired of
slaughter, he called to him to come out of the wood. " Did
I not do my part well ?" asked the conceited beast. " Ex
cellently well," replied the Lion. " Had I not known that
you were nothing more than an Ass, I should have been
frightened myself."
THE ASS AND THE LION HUNTING.
THE APE AND THE DOLPHIN. 191
SOCRATES AND HIS FRIENDS.
SOCRATES once built a house, and everybody who saw it
had something or other to say against it. "What a
front!" said one. "What an inside!" said another.
"What rooms! not big enough to turn round in," said
a third. " Small as it is," answered Socrates, " I wish
I had true Friends enough to fill it."
THE APE AND THE DOLPHIN.
A SHIP, wrecked off the coast of Greece, had on board
a large Ape, kept for the diversion of the sailors. The
ship went down, and the Ape, with most of the crew,
was left struggling in the water. Dolphins are said to
have a great friendship for man, and one of these fishes,
taking the Ape for a man, came under him and, sup
porting him on his back, swam with him to the mouth
of the Piraeus (a harbour in Greece so called). " In what
part of Greece do you live?" demanded the Dolphin.
" I am an Athenian," said the Ape. " Oh, then, you know
Piraeus, of course?" said the Dolphin. "Know Piraeus!"
cried the Ape, not wishing to appear ignorant to the
Dolphin ; " I should rather think I did. Why, my
father and he are first cousins." Thereupon the Dolphin,
finding that he was supporting an impostor, slipped from
beneath his legs, and left him to his fate.
192
FABLES.
THE FOX AND THE HEDGEHOG.
A Fox swimming across a river, was drifted along by the
stream, and carried by an eddy into a nook on the oppo
site bank. He lay there exhausted, and unable for a time
to scramble up. To add to his misfortunes a swarm of
Flies settled upon his head, and stung and plagued him
grievously. A Hedgehog, that happened to be near the
edge of the water, offered to drive away the Flies that
molested and teased him in that sad manner. " Nay," cried
the Fox, " pray let them alone. Those that are now upon
me are already full almost to bursting with my blood. If
you drive them away, a fresh swarm of hungry rascals will
take their places, and I shall not have a drop of blood left
in my body."
THE CAT AND THE Fox.
THE CAT AND THE FOX.
THE Cat and the Fox were once talking together in the
middle of a forest. " Let things be ever so bad," said
Reynard, " I don't care ; I have a hundred shifts, if one
should fail." " I," said the Cat, " have but one ; if that
fails me I am undone." Just then a pack of Hounds burst
into view. The Cat flew up a tree, and sat securely among
the branches, and thence saw the Fox, after trying his
hundred shifts in vain, overtaken by the Dogs and torn in
pieces.
25
194 ^SOP'S FABLES.
THE FOX, THE WOLF, AND THE HORSE.
A Fox seeing a Horse for the first time, grazing in a field,
at once ran to a Wolf of his acquaintance, and described the
animal that he had found. " It is, perhaps," said the Fox,
" some delicious prey that fortune has put in our path.
Come with me, and judge for yourself." Off they ran, and
soon came to the Horse, who, scarcely lifting his head,
seemed little anxious to be on speaking terms with such
suspicious-looking characters. " Sir," said the Fox, " your
humble servants here would with pleasure learn the name
by which you are known to your illustrious friends." The
Horse, who was not without a ready wit, said his name was
there curiously written upon his hoofs for the information
of those who cared to read it. " Gladly would I," replied
the sly Fox, suspecting in an instant something wrong,
" but my parents were poor, and could not pay for my
education ; hence, I never learned to read. The friends of
my companion here, on the contrary, are great folk, and he
can both read and write, and has a thousand other accom
plishments." The Wolf, pleased with the flattery, at once
went up, with a knowing air, to examine one of the hoofs
which the Horse raised for his convenience ; and when
he had come near enough, the Horse gave a sudden and
vigorous kick, and back to earth fell the Wolf, his jaw broken
and bleeding. " Well, cousin," cried the Fox, with a grin,
" you need never ask for the name a second time, now that
you have it written so plainly just below your eyes."
THE MASTER AND HIS SCHOLAR.
THE MASTER AND HIS SCHOLAR.
As a Schoolmaster was walking upon the bank of a river,
not far from his School, he heard a cry, as of some one
in distress. Running to the side of the river, he saw one
of his Scholars in the water, hanging by the bough of a
willow. The Boy, it seems, had been learning to swim
with corks, and fancying that he could now do without
them, had thrown them aside. The force of the stream
hurried him out of his depth, and he would certainly have
been drowned, had not the friendly branch of a willow hung
in his way. The Master took up the corks, which were
lying upon the bank, and threw them to his Scholar. " Let
this be a warning to you," said he, " and in your future life
never throw away your corks until you are quite sure you
have strength and experience enough to swim without
them."
196 sEsop's FABLES.
THE FROG AND THE FOX.
A FROG came out of his native marsh, and, hopping off to
the top of a mound of earth, gave out to all the beasts
around that he was a great physician, and could heal all
manner of diseases. The Fox demanded why, if he was
so clever, he did not mend his own blotched and spotted
body, his stare eyes, and his lantern jaws.
THE MAN AND THE STONE.
was sent one day by his master Xanthus to see what
company were at the public bath. He saw that many who
came stumbled, both going in and coming out, over a large
Stone that lay at the entrance to the bath, and that only one
person had the good sense to remove it. He returned and
told his master that there was only one Man at the bath.
Xanthus accordingly went, and finding it full of people,
demanded of ^Esop why he had told him false. ^Esop
thereupon replied that only he who had removed the Stone
could be considered a man, and that the rest were not
worthy the name.
THE FROG AND THE FOX.
THE OlVL AND THE GRASSHOPPER. 199
A COCK AND HORSES.
A COCK once got into a stable, and went about nestling
and scratching in the straw among the Horses, who
every now and then would stamp and fling out their
heels. So the Cock gravely set to work to admonish
them. " Pray, my good friends, let us have a care," said
he, "that we don't tread on one another."
THE OWL AND THE GRASSHOPPER.
AN Owl who was sitting in a hollow tree, dozing away a
long summer's afternoon, was very much disturbed by a
rogue of a Grasshopper singing in the grass beneath. So
far indeed from keeping quiet, or moving away at the re
quest of the Owl, the Grasshopper sang all the more, and
called her an old blinker that only showed out at nights
when all honest people were gone to bed. The Owl waited
in silence for a short time, and then artfully addressed the
Grasshopper as follows : " Well, my dear, if .one cannot be
allowed to sleep, it is something to be kept awake by such
a pleasant little pipe as yours, which makes most agreeable
music, I must say. And now I think of it, my mistress
Pallas gave me the other day a bottle of delicious nectar.
If you will take the trouble to come up, you shall have a
drop, and it will clear your voice nicely." The silly Grass
hopper, beside himself with the flattery, came hopping up
to the Owl. When he came within reach, the Owl caught
him, killed him, and finished her nap in comfort.
2OO
&SOPS FABLES,
THE DOG AND THE SHEEP.
THE Dog sued the Sheep for a debt ; the Kite and the
Wolf were the judges, and the Fox and the Vulture gave
evidence. Judgment was given in favour of the plaintiff,
and debt, costs, and expenses of witnesses were all paid out
of the body of the poor Sheep.
THE OLD WOMAN AND THE EMPTY CASK.
AN Old Woman found an Empty Cask from which some
choice old wine had lately been drawn off. She applied her
noSe to the bung-hole, and sniffed long and eagerly. " Oh,
how good must this wine have been ! " she exclaimed,
" when the very dregs are so delicious/'
THE SATYR AND THE TRAVELLER.
201
THE SATYR AND THE TRAVELLER.
A SATYR, ranging in the forest in winter, came across a
Traveller half starved with the cold. He took pity on him
and invited him to go to his cave. On their way the Man
kept blowing upon his fingers. "Why do you do that?"
said the Satyr, who had seen little of the world. "To warm
my hands, they are nearly frozen," replied the Man. Arrived
at the cave, the Satyr poured out a mess of smoking pottage
and laid it before the Traveller, who at once commenced
blowing at it with all his might. " What, blowing again !"
cried the Satyr. " Is it not hot enough?" "Yes, faith,"
answered the Man, "it is hot enough in all conscience,
and that is just the reason why I blow at it." ".Be off
202 sEsors FABLES.
with you!" said the Satyr, in alarm; "I will have no
part with a man who can blow hot and cold from the
same mouth."
JUPITER AND THE ANIMALS.
JUPITER one day, being in great good-humour, called upon
all living things to come before him, and if, looking at
themselves and at one another, there should be in the
appearance of any one of them anything which admitted of
improvement, they were to speak of it without fear. " Come,
Master Ape," said he, " you shall speak first. Look around
you, and then say, are you satisfied with your good looks?"
" I should think so," answered the Ape ; " and have I not
reason? If I were like my brother the Bear, now, I might
have something to say." " Nay," growled the Bear, " I
don't see that there's much to find fault with in me ; but if
you could manage to lengthen the tail and trim the ears of
our friend the Elephant, that might be an improvement."
The Elephant, in his turn, said that he had always con
sidered the Whale a great deal too big to be comely. The
Ant thought the Mite so small as to he beneath notice.
Jupiter became angry to witness so much conceit, and sent
them all about their business.
TRAVELLERS BY THE SEA-SIDE. 203
THE YOUNG MEN AND THE COOK.
Two Young Men went into a Cook's shop, under pretence
of buying meat. While the Cook's back was turned, one
of them snatched up a piece of beef, and gave it to his
companion, who put it under his cloak. The Cook turning
round again, missed the meat, and charged them with the
theft. " I haven't got it," said he who had taken it. " I've
taken none of your meat," said he that had it. " Look here,"
said the Cook, " which of you has stolen my meat, I can't
say ; but of this I'm sure — between you both there's a thief
and a couple of rascals."
TRAVELLERS BY THE SEA-SIDE.
A PARTY of Travellers, who were journeying along by the
side of the Sea, saw in the offing something that in the
hazy atmosphere loomed large like a vessel. She ap
peared to be drifting towards the shore, and they deter
mined to wait until she should be stranded. After some
time, when the object had come nearer in shore, they
fancied that it looked more like a boat than a ship.
They waited some time longer, and at last found, to their
disappointment, that what they had at first taken for an
abandoned vessel, and then for a boat, was nothing but
a floating mass of planks and sea-weed.
204 A? SOP'S FABLES.
THE MULE LADEN WITH CORN, AND THE
MULE LADEN WITH GOLD.
Two Mules were being driven along a lonely road. One
was laden with Corn, and the other with Gold. The
one that carried the Gold was so proud of his burden
that, although it was very heavy, he would not for the
world have the least bit of it taken away. He trotted
along with stately step, his bells jingling as he went.
By-and-by, some Robbers fell upon them. They let the
Mule that carried the Corn go free ; but they seized the
Gold which the other carried, and, as he kicked and
struggled to prevent their robbing him, they stabbed
him to the heart. In dying, he said to the other Mule,
" I see, brother, it is not always well to have grand
duties to perform. If, like you, I had only served a
Miller, this sad state would not now be mine/'
THE WOLF AND THE MASTIFF.
A WOLF, who was almost skin and bone — so well did
the dogs of the neighbourhood keep guard — met, one
moonshiny night, a sleek Mastiff, who was, moreover, as
strong as he was fat. The Wolf would gladly have
supped off him, but saw there would first be a great
fight, for which, in his condition, he was not prepared ;
so, bidding the Dog good-night very humbly, he praised
THE WOLF AND THE MASTIFF.
THE WOLF AND THE MASTIFF. 207
his good looks. " It would be easy for you," replied
the Mastiff, " to get as fat as I am, if you liked. Quit
this forest, where you and your fellows live so wretchedly,
and often die with hunger. Follow me, and you shall
fare much better." " What shall I have to do?" asked
the Wolf. " Almost nothing," answered the Dog; "only
chase away the beggars, and fawn upon the folks of the
house. You will, in return, be paid with all sorts of
nice things — bones of fowls and pigeons — to say nothing
of many a friendly pat on the head." The Wolf, at the
picture of so much comfort, nearly shed tears of joy.
They trotted off together, but, as they went along, the
Wolf noticed a bare spot on the Dog's neck. " What
is that mark?" said he. "Oh, nothing," said the Dog.
"How nothing?" urged the Wolf. "Oh, the merest
trifle," answered the Dog; "the collar which I wear
when I am tied up is the cause of it." "Tied up!"
exclaimed the Wolf, with a sudden stop ; " tied up !
Can you not always, then, run where you please?"
"Well, not quite always," said the Mastiff; "but what
can that matter?" "It matters so much to me," re
joined the Wolf, " that your lot shall not be mine at
any price;" and leaping away, he ran once more to his
native forest.
208
^ SOP'S FABLES.
THE TWO TRAVELLERS AND THE OYSTER.
As two Men were walking by the sea-side at low water,
they saw an Oyster, and they both stooped at the same
time to pick it up. One pushed the other away, and a
dispute ensued. A third Traveller coming along at the
time, they determined to refer the matter to him, which
of the two had the better right to the Oyster. While
they were each telling his story, the Arbitrator gravely
took out his knife, opened the shell, and loosened the
Oyster. When they had finished, and were listening for
his decision, he just as gravely swallowed the Oyster,
and offered them each a Shell. "The Court," said he,
" awards you each a Shell. The Oyster will cover the
costs."
THE Ass IN THE LroN's SKIN.
209
THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN.
AN Ass finding the skin of a Lion, put it on, and in that
disguise spread terror through all the neighbourhood round.
His master, however, spying his long ears, and recognising
his voice, took a stout cudgel, and soon made him sensible
that he was no more than an Ass.
210 s£ SOP'S FABLES.
THE YOUNG MOUSE, THE COCK, AND
THE CAT.
A YOUNG MOUSE, on his return to his hole after leaving
it for the first time, thus recounted his adventures to his
mother : " Mother," said he, " quitting this narrow place
where you have brought me up, I rambled about to-day
like a Young Mouse of spirit, who wished to see and to be
seen, when two such notable creatures came in my way!
One was so gracious, so gentle and benign ! the other,
who was just as noisy and forbidding, had on his head
and under his chin, pieces of raw meat, which shook
at every step he took ; and then, all at once, beating his
sides with the utmost fury, he uttered such a harsh and
piercing cry that I fled in terror ; and this, too, just as
I was about to introduce myself to the other stranger,
who was covered with fur like our own, only richer-looking
and much more beautiful, and who seemed so modest and
benevolent that it did my heart good to look at her."
"Ah, my son," replied the Old Mouse, "learn while you
live to distrust appearances. The first strange creature
was nothing but a Fowl, that will ere long be killed, and
off his bones, when put on a dish in the pantry, we may
make a delicious supper ; while the other was a nasty,
sly, and bloodthirsty hypocrite of a Cat, to whom no
food is so welcome as a young and juicy little Mouse like
yourself."
THE MAID AND THE PAIL OF MILK,
21 I
THE MAID AND THE PAIL OF MILK.
DOLLY, the Milkmaid, having been a good girl for a long
time, and careful in her work, her mistress gave her a
Pail of New Milk for herself. With the Pail on her
head, she was tripping gaily along to the house of the
doctor, who was going to give a large party, and wanted
the Milk for a junket. " For this Milk I shall get a
shilling," said Dolly, "and with that shilling I shall
buy twenty of the eggs laid by our neighbour's fine
fowls. These eggs I shall put under mistress's old hen,
and if only half of the chicks grow up and thrive before
the next fair time comes round, I shall be able to sell
them for a good guinea. Then I shall buy that jacket
I saw in the village the other day, and a hat and ribbons
too, and when I go to the fair how smart I shall be !
Robin will be there, for certain, and he will come up and
offer to be friends again. I won't come round so easily,
though ; and when he tries to kiss me, I shall just toss
up my head and " Here Dolly gave her head the
toss she was thinking about. Down came the Pail, and
the Milk ran out on the ground ! Good-bye now to
eggs, chicken, jacket, hat, ribbons, and all !
212 sEsop's FABLES.
THE THIEF AND THE DOG.
A THIEF who came near a house one night to rob it, was
very much annoyed at finding a stout Dog in the courtyard,
who kept up a loud and steady bark. To quiet him he
threw him a tempting piece of meat, whereupon the Dog
exclaimed, " When first you came, I fancied you might be
a Thief: now that you try to bribe me from my duty, I
am sure you are one ; and I shan't leave off barking while
you remain about the premises."
HERCULES AND PALLAS.
HERCULES once journeying along a narrow roadway, came
across a strange-looking animal, that reared its head and
threatened him. Nothing daunted, the hero gave him a few
lusty blows with his club, and thought to have gone on
his way. The monster however, much to the astonishment
of Hercules, was now three times as big as it was before,
and of a still more threatening aspect. He thereupon re
doubled his blows and laid about him fast and furiously;
but the harder and quicker the strokes of the club, the
bigger and more frightful grew the monster, and now com
pletely filled up the road. Pallas then appeared upon the
scene. " Stop, Hercules," said she. " Cease your blows.
The monster's name is Strife. Let it alone, and it will
soon become as little as it was at first.'
THE THIEF AND THE DOG.
THE FALCON AND THE CAPON. 215
THE TAIL OF THE SERPENT.
THE Tail of a Serpent once rebelled against the Head, and
said that it was a great shame that one end of any animal
should always have its way, and drag the other after it,
whether it was willing or no. It was in vain that the Head
urged that the Tail had neither brains nor eyes, and that
it was in no way made to lead. Wearied by the Tail's im
portunity, the Head one day let him have his will. The
Serpent now went backwards for a long time, quite gaily,
until he came to the edge of a high cliff, over which both
Head and Tail went flying, and came with a heavy thump
on the shore beneath. The Head was never again troubled
by the Tail with a word about leading.
THE FALCON AND THE CAPON.
A CAPON who had strong reasons for thinking that the time
of his sacrifice was near at hand, carefully avoided coming
into close quarters with any of the farm servants or
domestics of the estate on which he lived. A glimpse
that he had once caught of the kitchen, with its blazing fire,
and the head cook, like an executioner, with a formidable
knife, chopping off the heads of some of his companions, had
been sufficient to keep him ever after in dread. Hence, one
day when he was wanted for roasting, all the calling,
clucking, and coaxing of the cook's assistants were in vain.
2i6 S£SOP'S FABLES.
" How deaf and dull you must be/' said a Falcon to the
Capon, •" not to hear when you are called, or to see when
you are wanted ! You should take pattern by me. I never
let my master call me twice." " Ah," answered the Capon,
" if Falcons were called, like Capons, to be run upon a spit
and set before the kitchen fire, they would be just as slow
to come, and just as hard of hearing, as I am now."
THE HARE AFRAID OF HIS EARS.
THE Lion being once badly hurt by the horns of a Goat,
went into a great rage, and swore that every animal with
horns should be banished from his kingdom. Goats,. Bulls,
Rams, Deer, and every living thing with horns had quickly
to be off on pain of death. A Hare, seeing from his shadow
how long his ears were, was in great fear lest they should
be taken for horns. " Good-bye, my friend," said he to a
Cricket who, for many a long summer evening, had chirped
to him where he lay dozing : " I must be off from here. My
ears are too much like horns to allow me to be comfortable."
"Horns!" exclaimed the Cricket, "do you take me for a
fool? You no more have horns than I have." " Say what
you please," replied the Hare, "were my ears only half as
long as they are, they would be quite long .enough for any
one to lay hold of who wished to make them out to be
horns."
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.
217
THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.
A CROW, ready to die with thirst, flew with joy to a Pitcher
hoping to find some water in it. He found some there, to
be sure, but only a little drop at the bottom, which he was
quite unable to reach. He then tried to overturn the
Pitcher, but it was too heavy. So he gathered up some
pebbles, with which the ground near was covered, and,
taking them one by one in his beak, dropped them into the
Pitcher. By this means the water gradually reached the
top, and he was able to drink at his ease.
218 ^ SOP'S FABLES.
THE WOLF AND THE FOX.
SAID the Fox to the Wolf, one day, " My friend, you have
no idea how badly I often fare. A horribly tough old
Cock, or a lean and shrivelled Hen, is a kind of food of
which it is quite possible in time to get tired. Now, it
seems to me that you live a good deal better than we
do, and don't run into so much danger either. I have
to go prowling about the houses : you get your prey in
the fields afar. Teach me your business. Let me be the
first of my race to have a fat Sheep whenever he has a
fancy that way. Teach me, there's a good fellow, and
you shall find yourself no loser in the end." " I will,"
said the Wolf; ° and, by-the-by, I have just lost a brother.
You will find his body over yonder. Slip into his skin,
and come to me again." The Fox did as he was told,
and the Wolf gave him many a lesson in growling, biting,
fighting, and deportment, which the Fox executed first
badly, then fairly, and in the end quite as well as his
master. Just then a flock of Sheep came in sight, and
into the midst of them rushed the new-made Wolf, with
such fury and noise that Shepherd Boy, Dog, and Sheep
flew off in terror to gain their home, leaving only one
poor sheep behind, that had been seized by the throat.
Just at that instant, a Cock in the nearest farm crowed
loud and shrill. There was no resisting the familiar
sound. Out of the Wolf's skin slipped the Fox, and
made towards the Cock as fast as he could, forgetting in
THE EAGLE AND THE MAN. 219
a moment, his lessons, the Sheep, the Professor, and every
thing else, about which he had just been making all the
fuss in the world.
THE EAGLE AND THE MAN.
A MAN caught an Eagle in a snare. He cut his win<rs
o o o
close, and kept him chained to a stump in his yard. A
kind-hearted Fowler, seeing the melancholy-looking bird,
took pity on him, and bought him. He was now well
treated, and his wings were allowed to grow. When they
had grown again sufficiently for him to fly, the Fowler
gave him his liberty. The first thing the Bird caught was
a fine fat Hare, which he brought and gratefully laid at
the feet of his benefactor. A Fox, looking on, said that he
would have done better to try to make friends with the
first Man who had caught him, and who might perhaps
catch him yet again, rather than with the second, from
whom he had nothing to fear. "Your advice may do very
well for a Fox," replied the Eagle ; " but it is my nature to
serve those who have been kind to me, and to let those
who choose be governed by fear."
220 sfzsop's FABLES.
THE CROW AND THE MUSSEL.
A CROW having found a Mussel on the sea-shore, took
it in his beak, and tried for a long time to break the
shell by hammering it upon a stone. Another Crow — a
sly old fellow — came and watched him for some time in
silence. " Friend," said he at last, " you'll never break
it in that way. Listen to me. This is the way to do it :
Fly up as high as you can, and let the tiresome thing
fall upon a rock. It will be smashed then, sure enough,
and you can eat it at your leisure." The simple-minded
and unsuspecting Crow did as he was told, flew up and
let the Mussel fall. Before he could descend to eat it,
however, the other bird had pounced upon it and carried
it away.
THE LION AND THE FOUR BULLS.
FOUR Bulls were such great friends that they used always
when feeding to keep together. A Lion watched them for
many days with longing eyes, but never being able to find
one apart from the rest, was afraid to attack them. He at
length succeeded in awakening a jealousy among them,
which ripened into a mutual aversion, and they strayed off
at a considerable distance from each other. The Lion then
fell upon them singly, and killed them all.
THE LION AND THE FOUR BULLS.
THE SHEPHERD AND THE YOUNG WOLF. 223
THE BEAR AND THE FOX.
THE Bear is said to be unwilling to touch the dead body of
a man ; and one of the animals was once heard making
a virtue of this peculiarity. " Such is my regard for man
kind," said he, " that nothing on earth would induce me
to injure a human corpse." " Your kindness would impress
me much more," said a Fox who was listening to this
speech, " if I could believe that you paid the same respect
to the living that you profess to do to the dead."
THE SHEPHERD AND THE YOUNG WOLF.
A SHEPHERD found the young Cub of a Wolf, and caused
it to be brought up among his Dogs, with whom it grew
to be quite friendly. When any other Wolves came,
meaning to rob the fold, this young fellow was among the
foremost to give them chase, but on returning he generally
managed to linger behind the Dogs, and keep a sharp look
out for any stray Sheep from the fold. Instead, however,
of bringing these home, he would drive them to an out-
of-the-way spot, and there mangle and partially devour
them. He did this once too often, and was caught at it
by the Shepherd, who quickly set him hanging by the
neck from the bough of a tree, and in that way put an end
to his double-dealing.
224
^ SOP'S FABLES.
THE EAGLE AND THE OWL.
THE Eagle and the Owl, after many quarrels, swore that
they would be fast friends for ever, and that they would
never harm each other's young ones. " But do you know
my little ones?" said the Owl. "If you do not, I fear
it will go hard with them when you find them." " Nay,
then, I do not," replied the Eagle. " The greater your loss,"
said the Owl ; " they are the sweetest, prettiest things in
the world. Such dear eyes ! such charming plumage ! such
winning little ways ! You'll know them, now, from my
description." A short time after, the Eagle found the little
ones in a hollow tree. " These hideous little staring frights,
at any rate, cannot be neighbour Owl's delicious pets," said
the Eagle ; " so I may make away with them without the
least misgiving." The Owl, finding her young ones gone,
loaded the Eagle with reproaches. " Nay," answered the
Eagle, " blame yourself rather than me. If you paint with
such flattering colours, it is not my fault if I do not recognise
your portraits."
THE MERRY- ANDREW AND THE COUNTRYMAN. 225
THE MERRY-ANDREW AND THE COUNTRY
MAN.
ON the occasion of some festivities that were given by a
Roman nobleman, a droll fellow of a Merry-andrew caused
much laughter by his tricks upon the stage, and, more
than all, by his imitation of the squeaking of a Pig. It
seemed to the hearers so real, that they called for it again
and again. One man, however, in the audience, thought the
imitation was not perfect; and he made his way to the
stage, and said that if he were permitted, he to-morrow
would enter the lists, and squeak against the Merry-andrew
for a wager. The mob, anticipating great fun, shouted their
consent, and accordingly, when the next day came, the two
rival Jokers were in their place. The hero of the previous
day went first, and the hearers, more pleased than ever,
226 /Esops FABLES.
fairly roared with delight. Then came the turn of the
Countryman, who, having a Pig carefully concealed under
his cloak, so that no one would have suspected its exist
ence, vigorously pinched its ear with his thumb-nail, and
made it squeak with a vengeance. " Not half as good —
not half as good !" cried the audience, and many among
them even began to hiss. " Fine judges you !" replied the
Countryman, rushing to the front of the stage, drawing the
Pig from under his cloak, and holding the animal up on
high. " Behold the performer that you condemn !"
THE HARE AND THE DOG.
A DOG once gave a long chase to a Hare. The Dog
having not long since made a good meal, was not at all
hungry, and in consequence in no hurry to put an end
to the sport. He would at times, as they ran, snap at
the Hare, and at others lick him with his tongue. " Pray,"
cried the persecuted and bewildered Hare, " are you a
friend or an enemy? If a friend, why do you bite me
so ? and if an enemy, why caress me ? " .
THE OLD MAN, HIS SON, AND THE Ass.
227
THE OLD MAN, HIS SON, AND THE ASS.
AN Old Man and his little Boy were once driving an Ass
before them to the next market-town, where it was to be
sold. " Have you no more wit," said a passer-by, " than
for you and your Son to trudge on foot, and let your
Ass go light?" So the Man put his Boy on the Ass, and
they went on again. "You lazy young rascal!" said the
next person they met ; " are you not ashamed to ride, and
let your poor old Father go on foot ?" The Man lifted off
the Boy, and got up himself. Two women passed soon
after, and one said to the other, " Look at that selfish old
fellow, riding on, while his little Son follows after on
foot!" The Old Man thereupon took up the Boy behind
him. The next traveller they met asked the Old Man
228 sE SOP'S FABLES.
whether or not the Ass was his own. Being answered that
it was : " No one would think so," said he, " from the way
in which you use it. Why, you are better able to carry the
poor animal than he is to carry both of you." So the Old
Man tied the Ass's legs to a long pole, and he and his Son
shouldered the pole, and staggered along under the weight.
In that fashion they entered the town, and their appearance
caused so much laughter, that the Old Man, mad with
vexation at the result of his endeavours to give satisfaction
to everybody, threw the Ass into the river, and seizing his
Son by the arm, went his way home again.
THE OLD LION.
A LION, worn-out with age, lay drawing his last breath,
and several of the beasts who had formerly been sufferers
by him came and revenged themselves. The Boar, with
his powerful tusks, ripped his flank ; and the Bull gored
his sides with his horns. The Ass, too, seeing there was
no danger, came up and threw his heels into the Lion's
face. Thereupon, the poor old expiring tyrant, with his
dying groan, uttered these words : " How much worse than
a thousand deaths it is to be spurned by so base a creature.
6. .. J \ & %
THE OLD LION.
Two TRAVELLERS OF DIFFERING HUMOURS, 231
THE CAT AND THE SPARROWS.
A GREAT friendship existed between a Sparrow and a Cat,
to whom, when quite a kitten, the bird had been given.
The Sparrow would fly into little mimic rages, and peck the
Cat with his bill, while Pussy would beat him off with only
half-opened claws ; and though this sport would often wax
warm, there was never real anger between them. It hap
pened, however, that the bird made the acquaintance of
another Sparrow, and being both of them saucy fellows,
they soon fell out and quarrelled in earnest. The little
friend of the Cat, in these fights, generally fared the worst ;
and one day he came trembling all over with passion, and
besought the Cat to avenge his wrongs for him. Pussy
thereupon pounced on the offending stranger, and speedily
crunched him up and swallowed him. " I had no idea
before that Sparrows were so nice/' said the Cat to herself,
whose blood was now stirred ; and as quick as thought her
little playmate was seized and sent to join his enemy.
TWO TRAVELLERS OF DIFFERING HUMOURS.
THERE were two Men together upon a journey, of very
different humours. One went despondingly on, with a
thousand cares and troubles in his head, exclaiming every
now and then, " Whatever shall I do to live I" The other
232 sE SOP'S FABLES.
jogged merrily along, determined to keep a good heart, to
do his best, and leave the issue to Fortune. " How can
you be so merry?" said the Sorrowful wight. " As I am a
sinner, my heart is ready to break, for fear I should want
bread/' And then, shortly after, said he, " What a dreadful
thing it would be if I were struck blind!" and he must
needs walk on ahead with his eyes shut, to try how it would
seem if that misfortune should befal him. His Fellow-
traveller, coming after him, picked up a purse of gold which
he, having his eyes shut, had not perceived ; and thus \vas
he punished for his mistrust, for the purse had been his if
he had not first willingly put it out of his power to see it.
THE FIR-TREE AND THE BRAMBLE.
THE Fir-tree treated with contempt the Bramble that grew
at its foot. " I am put to many high and noble uses," said
he boastfully. " I furnish taper spars for ships, and beams
for the roofs of palaces. You are trodden under foot, and
despised by everybody." " You talk very finely now,"
replied the Bramble ; " but, for all that, when once you feel
the axe applied to your root, you'll wish you had been a
Bramble."
THE FIR-TREE AND THE BRAMBLE.
THE WOLF AND THE LION. 235
THE HORSE AND THE GROOM.
A DISHONEST Groom used regularly to sell a good half of
the measure of oats that was daily allowed for a Horse,
the care of which was entrusted to him. He would, how
ever, keep currying the animal for hours together, to make
him appear in good condition. The Horse naturally re
sented this treatment. " If you really wish me to look
sleek," said he, " in future give me half the currying, and
leave off selling half my food."
THE WOLF AND THE LION.
A WOLF and a Lion were abroad on an adventure to
gether. "Hark! sir," said the Wolf, "don't you hear the
bleating of Sheep? My life for yours but I'll go and
bring you something worth while." Off he ran towards
the place whence the bleating came, till he arrived near
enough to see the Shepherds and Dogs all alert and
on their guard. Back he came sneaking to the Lion
again. "Well?" said the Lion, with a contemptuous
glance. "Why," answered the Wolf, "they are Sheep
yonder, it is true, but they are lank as Hounds. We
may as well wait till they have some more flesh on their
bones/'
236 ^L SOP'S FABLES.
THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW.
AN Archer once feathered an Arrow with a feather that had
fallen from an Eagle's wing. It shortly afterwards hap
pened that with this Arrow he shot the very Eagle that had
cast the feather. In her mortal agony the Eagle recognised
her property, and exclaimed, " Bitter is it to die, but doubly
bitter to find that I have helped to speed the means of
death!" •
THE NURSE AND THE WOLF.
As a Wolf was hunting up and down for his supper, he
passed by the door of a house where a little child was
crying loudly. " Hold your tongue," said the Nurse to
the child, "or I'll throw you to the Wolf." The Wolf,
hearing this, waited near the house, expecting that she
would keep her word. The Nurse, however, when the child
was quiet, changed her tone, and said, " If the naughty
Wolf comes now we'll beat his brains out for him." The
Wolf thought it was then high time to be off, and went
away grumbling at his folly in putting faith in the words
of a woman.
THE NURSE AND THE WOLF.
HERCULES AND PLUTUS. 239
THE TRAVELLERS AND THE CROW.
SOME Travellers setting out on a journey had not pro
ceeded far, when a one-eyed Crow flew across their path.
This they took for a bad omen, and it was proposed that
they should give up their plan for that day, at least, and
turn back again. " What nonsense !" said one of the
Travellers, who was of a mocking and merry disposition.
" If this Crow could foresee what is to happen to us, he
would be equally knowing on his own account ; and in that
case, do you think he would have been silly enough to go
where his eye was to be knocked out of his head?"
HERCULES AND PLUTUS.
WHEN Hercules was raised to the dignity of a god, and
took his place on Olympus, he went round and paid his
respects to all the gods and goddesses, excepting only the
God of Wealth, to whom he made no sign. This caused
much astonishment, and Jupiter, at the first favourable
opportunity, asked Hercules for an explanation. "Why/'
answered he, "I have seen that god in the company of
such rascals when on earth, that I did not know whether it
would be considered reputable to be seen talking to him in
heaven."
240
sE SOP'S FABLES.
THE ANT AND THE CHRYSALIS.
AN Ant nimbly running about in the sunshine in search
of food, came across a Chrysalis that was very near its
time of change. The Chrysalis moved its tail, and thus
attracted the attention of the Ant, who then saw for the
first time that it was alive. " Poor, pitiable animal !" cried
the Ant disdainfully ; " what a sad fate is yours ! While I
can run hither and thither, at my pleasure, and, if I wish,,
ascend the tallest tree, you lie imprisoned here in your
shell, with power only to move a joint or two of your scaly
tail." The Chrysalis heard all this, but did not try to make
any reply. A few days after, when the Ant passed that w^ay
again, nothing but the shell remained. Wondering what
had become of its contents, he felt himself suddenly shaded
and fanned by the gorgeous wings of a beautiful Butterfly.
"Behold in me," said the Butterfly, "your much-pitied
friend ! Boast now of your powers to run and climb as long
as you can get me to listen." So saying, the Butterfly rose
in the air, and, borne along and aloft on the summer breeze,
was soon lost to the sight of the Ant for ever.
INDEX OF CONTENTS.
and Basket of Bread
and the Tongues
y£sop at Play
yEsop, Stone, and the Man
Angler and Little Fish
Ant and Chrysalis
Ant and Fly
Ants and the Grasshopper
Ape and Dolphin
Ape and Two Young Ones
Ape, Ass, and Mole
Ape (King) and Fox
Ape, Wolf, and Fox
Apple, Peach, and Blackberry...
Arrow and Eagle ...
Ass and Boar
Ass and Boar (Challenge)
Ass and Horse
Ass and Jupiter
Ass and Lion Hunting ...
Ass and Little Dog
Ass and Wolves ...
Ass, Ape, and Mole
Ass Carrying an Idol
Ass Eating Thistles
Ass, Dog, and Wolf
Ass in the Lion's Skin
Ass (Laden) and Horse
Ass Laden with Salt and with Sponge
Ass, Lion, and Cock
Ass, Lion, and Fox
Ass, Lion, and Fox ...
Ass (Lion's Skin) and Fox ...
Ass, Old Man, and Boy
Ass (Sick) and Wolves
Ass, The Sensible
Asses and Hares
Ass's Shadow
Bald Knight
Bat and Two Weasels
Bat, Birds, and Beasts ...
Bear and Bee-hives
Bear and Fox
Beaver, the Hunted
Bee and Jupiter...
Bees, Drones, and Wasp
Belly and the Members
Birds, Beasts, and Bat
Blackamoor, The
Blackberry, Apple, and Peach...
Blackbird and Fowler
Boar and Ass
Boar and Ass (Challenge)
1 68
175
60
196
129
240
9
H5
191
138
183
65
39
120
236
81
1 88
74
87
188
42
156
183
155
119
64
209
119
114
154
170
194
148
105
104
159
16
179
75
140
223
58
179
127
15
75
130
1 20
H3
81
1 88
Boar and Fox
Boasting Traveller
Boy and Fortune
Boy and Thief
Boy, Old Man, and Ass
Boy-thief and his Mother
Bramble and Fir Tree ...
Bramble and Fox
Brother and Sister
Bull and Gnat
Bull and Goat
Caesar and the Slave*
Calf, The Wanton
Capon and Falcon
Carver and Mercury
Cat and Cock
Cat and Fox
Cat and Sow
Cat and Sparrows
Cat and the Mice
Cat and- Young Man
Cat, Cock, and Young Mouse ...
Cat, Eagle, and Sow
Cats and Mice
Chrysalis and Ant
Cock and Cat
Cock and Fox
Cock and Fox (in Trap)
Cock and Jewel ...
Cock and Thieves
Cock, Lion, and Ass
Cocks and Partridge
Cocks Fighting ...
Collier and Fuller
Cook and Young Men
Countryman and Fox
Countryman and Merry Andrew
Countryman and Snake
Countryman and Wood (Axe-ha-ndle)
Courtship, The Fatal
Covetous Man
Covetous Man and the Envious
Crabs, The Two
Crane and Peacock ... ...
Crane and Wolf ...
Cranes and Geese ...
Creaking Wheel
Crow and Eagle
Crow and Fox
Crow and Mussel
Crow and Pitcher
Crow and Travellers
Cupid and Death
PAGE
116
24
48
63
194
40
232
47
23
112
49
36
25
215
135
73
193
39
231
7
106
210
32
152
240
73
132
171
4
58
203
60
225
17
55
23
124
81
44
49
28
76
7i
1 08
i To
220
217
239
52
242 INDEX
OF CONTENTS.
Death and Old Man
Death and Cupid
Deer and Lion ...
PAGE
121
52
160
122
63
I63
226
200
9
1 60
42
212
64
73
146
50
20
43
191
57
104
127
120
236
1 08
84
140
219
224
44
32
H7
81
66
215
84
87
23
50
47
232
128
129
56
48
154
178
220
U3
169
104
65
170
223
116
47
193
132
60
1 80
84
Fox and Frog
PAGE
196
Fox and Goat
Fox and Grapes
••• 34
Doctor and Old Woman
Doe, One-Eyed ...
Fox and Hedgehog
Fox and Hen
... 192
161
Dog and Gardener
Dog and Hare
Fox and Leopard
Fox and Lion
1UJ
... 25
rgr
Dog and Sheep (Trial)
Dog and Shadow
Dog and Sheep ...
Fox and Lioness
Fox and Mask
103
... 34
c r
Fox and Sick Lion
Fox and Stork
... 41
\\
Dog and the Ass
Dog and Thief ...
Fox and Tiger
Dog, Ass, and Wolf
Dog in the Manger
Dog Invited to Supper ...
Dog, Man bitten by
Dog, Mischievous
Dog (Sheep-biter)
Dolphin and Ape
Dolphin and Thunny
Dove and Fowler
Drones, Bees, and Wasp
Drunken Husband
Eagle and Arrow
Eagle and Crow
Fox and Wolf
iy
i A -i
Fox and Wolf
218
Fox, Ass, and Lion
Fox, Ass, and Lion
Fox in the Well
... 31
... 154
138
Fox (in Trap) and Cock
Fox, Lion, and Tiger
Fox, Lion, and Wolf
Fox without a Tail
Fox, Wolf, and Ape
Foxes and Man ...
... 171
... 52
• •• i35
... 44
... 39
1 07
Frog and Fox
1 06
Frog and Lion
QC
Frog and Mouse
Frog and Mouse
... 128
l67
Eagle and Fox
Eagle and Husbandman
Eagle and Man ...
Frog, the Vain
12
Frogs and Fighting Bulls
Frogs and Hares
Frogs desiring a King ...
Fuller and Collier
Gardener and Dog
Gardener and Landlord ...
Geese and Cranes
Generous Lion
18
... 27
... 76
... 31
... 163
... 185
... 76
M
Eagle and Owl .
Eagle and Tortoise ... ... ..."
Eagle, Cat, and Sow ...
Elephant and Lion
Envious Man and the Covetous
Fables, Power of
Falcon and Capon ...
Falconer and Partridge
Farmer and Hawk
Fatal Courtship ... .
Fawn and Stag ...
Gnat and Bull
112
Gnat and Lion ... ... ...
148
Gnat and Man ...
164
Goat and Bull
4.Q
File and Viper ...
Goat and Fox
74.
Fir Tree and Bramble ...
Fisherman and Troubled Water
Fish (Little) and Angler
Fish (River and Sea) ...
Fortune and Boy
Fortune and Ploughman
Fortune Teller, The
Four Bulls and Lion
Fowler and Blackbird ...
Fowler and Lark
Fowler and Ringdove ... ...
Fox and Ape (King)
Fox and Ass (Lion's Skin)
Fox and Bear
Goat and Lion
172
Goat, Kid, and Wolf
Goatherd and Goats
Goatherd and She-Goat
Goose (Golden Egg) and Man
Gourd and Pine ...
... 177
... 67
... 91
... 48
172
Grasshopper and Ants ...
Grasshopper and Locusts
Groom and Horse
Hare afraid of his Ears
Hare and Dog
... 145
... 176
- 235
... 216
226
Hare and Hound
Hare and Sparrow
Hare and Tortoise
Hares and Asses
Hares and Frogs
Harper, The
... 130
... 153
... 115
... 104
... 27
55
Fox and Boar
Fox and Bramble
Fox and Cat
Fox and Cock ...
Fox and Countryman ...
Fox and Crow
Hart and Vine
... 107
Hawk and Farmer
Hedgehog and Fox
... 87
... 192
Fox and Eagle ...
INDEX OF CONTENTS.
243
I'AGE
Hen and Fox ...
... 163
Hen and Swallow
... 127
H en ( Fat) and Woman
... 178
Hercules and Wagoner
... 75
Hercules and Pallas
... 212
Hercules and Plutus
••• 239
Herdsman and Jupiter ...
... 151
Hog and Horse
... I87
Horse and Ass ...
... 74
Horse and Groom
... 235
Horse and Hog
... 187
Horse and Laden Ass ...
... 119
Horse and Lion
161
Horse and Stag ...
... .56
Hound and Hare
... 130
Hound, The Old
... 164
Husbandman and Eagle
... 140
Husbandman and his Sons
... 80
Husbandman and Mattock
... in
Husbandman and Stork
... 103
Idol and Man
... 137
Jackdaw and Pigeons
... 26
Jackdaw and Sheep
... 152
Jackdaw, Vain ...
... 57
Jupiter and Ass
... 87
Jupiter and Bee ...
... 179
Jupiter and Camel
2
Jupiter and Herdsman ...
... [51
Jupiter and the Animals
. . . 2O2
Jupiter's Two Wallets ...
... I87
Kid and Wolf
... I56
Kid and Wolf
162
Kid, Goat, and Wolf
... 177
Kite and Pigeons
... 15
Knight and his Charger
••• 139
Landlord and Gardener
... 185
Lark and Fowler
... I69
Lark and Young Ones
... 89
Leopard and Fox
... 25
Lion and Ass Hunting ...
... 1 88
Lion and Deer ...
1 60
Lion and Elephant
... 147
Lion and Four Bulls
... 220
Lion and Fox
... 185
Lion and Frog
•-• 95.
Lion and Gnat
148
Lion and Horse ...
161
Lion and Man
. 16
Lion and Mouse
20
Lion and Wolf ...
••• 235
Lion and Young Man ...
169
Lion, Ass, and Cock
... 51
Lion, Ass, and Fox
... 31
Lion, Asses, and Hares
104
Lion, Fox, and Ass
... 154
Lion, Fox, and Wolf
... 135
Lion Hunting with other Beasts
2
Lion in Love
28
Lion, The Generous
... 35
Lion (The Sick) and Fox
Lion, Tiger, and Fox
Lioness and Fox
Locusts and Grasshopper
Magpie and Peacock
Maid and Pail of Milk
Maid and Pail of Milk
Man and Eagle
Man and Foxes
Man and Gnat ...
Man and Goose
Man and Lion
Man and Stone ...
Man and Serpent
Man and Two Wives
Man and Weasel
Man and Wooden God
Man bitten by Dog ...
Man (Old) and Death
Man (Old) and his Son5
Mask and Fox ...
Master and Scholar
Mastiff and Wolf
Mattock, The Lost
Mercury and Carver ...
Mercury and Woodman
Merry Andrew and Countryman
Mice and Cat
Mice in Council
Mole and her Dam
Mole, Ape, and Ass
Mountain in Labour
Mouse and Frog
Mouse and Frog
Mouse and Lion
Mouse and Weasel
Mule, The
Mules Laden with Corn and with Gold
Mussel and Crow
Nightingale and Hawk
Nurse and Wolf
Oak and the Reeds
Old Lion
Old Man, Boy, and Ass
Old Man, his Son, and the Ass
One-Eyed Doe
Owl and Eagle ...
Oxen and Butchers
Oyster and Two Travellers
Pallas and Hercules
Partridge and Cocks
Partridge and Falconer
Peach, Apple, and Blackberry . .
Peacock and Crane
Peacock and Magpie
Peacock's Complaint
Pigeons and Jackdaw ...
Pigeons and Kite
Pitcher and Crow
244
INDEX OF CONTENTS.
Ploughman and Fortune 154
Plutus and Hercules ... ... ... 239
Porcupine and Snakes ... 82
Pots, The Two ... ... ... ... 43
Power of Fables 66
Rabbits, the Two
Raven and Serpent
Reeds and the Oak
Rivers and Sea .
Satyr and Traveller ... 20 1
Scholar and Master ... ... ... 195
Sea and Rivers ... ... 183
Sensible Ass ... 105
Serpent and Man ... 96
Serpent and Raven ... 180
Serpent's Tail 215
Sheep and Dog ... ... 160
Sheep and Dog (Trial) ... ... ... 200
Sheep and Wolf ... ... ... ... 159
Sheep and Wolves ... 106
Sheep-biter ... ... 43
Shepherd and Young Wolf ... ... 223
Shepherd Boy and Wolf 96
Shepherd turned Merchant ... ... 143
Sick Kite ... 27
Snake and Countryman 17
Snakes and Porcupine ... 82
Socrates and Friends ... ... ... 191
Sow and Cat 39
Sow and Wolf ... .... ... ... 100
Sow, Eagle, and Cat 32
Sparrow and Hare ... 153
Sparrows and Cat ... 231
Spendthrift and Swallow 24
Stag and Fawn 50
Stag and Horse ... ... ... ... 56
Stag and the Pool 3
Stag in the Ox-Stall 10
Stag, The Sick ... ... 116
Stone and Man ... ... ... ... 196
Stork and Fox ... ... 33
Stork and Husbandman ... ... 103
Sun and Wind ... ... 19
Swallow and Hen ... ... ... 127
Swallow and other Birds 88
Swallow and Thrush ... ... ... 103
Tail (The) of the Serpent 215
Thief and Boy . 63
Thief and Dog 212
Thieves and Cock 131
Thrush and Swallow ... 103
Thunny and Dolphin ... 57
Tiger and Fox 59
Tiger, Lion, and Fox 52
Tongues, Feast of 175
Tortoise and Eagle ... 44
79
1 80
59
183
Tortoise and Hare
Town Mouse and Country Mouse
Traveller and Satyr
Traveller, Boasting
Travellers and Bear
Travellers and Crow
Travellers, The Two (finding an Axe)
Travellers (Two) and Oyster
Trumpeter taken Prisoner
Two Frogs ... ...
Two Travellers of Differing Humours
Vine and Hart
Viper and File
| Wagoner and Hercules
Wallets, The Two
Wanton Calf
Wasp, Bees, and Drones
Weasel and Man
Weasel and Mouse
Weasels and Bat
Wheel, Creaking
Wind and Sun
Wolf and Boy ...
Wolf and Crane ...
Wolf and Fox
Wolf and Fox
Wolf and Kid
Wolf and Kid
Wolf and Lamb
Wolf and Lion ...
Wolf and Mastiff
Wolf and Nurse
Wolf and Sheep
Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Wolf and Sow
Wolf, Ass, and Dog
Wolf, Fox, and Ape
Wolf, Goat, and Kid
Wolves and Ass ...
Wolves and Sheep
Wolves and Sick Ass ...
Woman and Drunken Husband
Woman and Empty Cask
Woman and Fat Hen
Woman (Old) and Doctor
Woman (Old) and her Maids ...
Wood and Clown
Woodman and Mercury
97
2OI
24
36
239
131
208
114
I
231
107
47
75
187
25
127
124
7i
179
7i
19
96
28
H3
218
156
162
4
235
204
236
159
121
IOO
64
39
177
156
106
148
1 20
200
178
122
72
52
92
Xanthus' Wager 183
Young Man and his Cat
Young Man and Lion ...
Young Men and Cook ...
Young Mouse, Cock, and Cat
Young Shepherd and Wolf
1 06
169
203
2IO
223
CASSEU., FETTER, AND GALPIN, BELLE SAUVAGE WORKS, LONDON, E.C.
LIST OF WORKS
PUBLISHED BY
MESSRS. CASSELL, FETTER, AND GALPIN.
avtr l&elistous Utterature.
Bible, Cassell's Illustrated Family, com
plete in One Volume, royal 4to, in cloth, gilt edges,
1,710 pp., 960 Illustrations, and Family Register,
£l lls. 6d.;calf, £2 IDS. ; morocco antique, £3 IDS.
*»* Cassell's " Illustrated Family Bible" has attained a
circulation of nearly Half a Million.
Bible, Casssll's Illustrated Family. Toned
Paper Edition. Half morocco, gilt edges, £2 los. j
full morocco antique, ,£3 los. ; best full morocco
elegant, £3 153.
Bible, Cassell's Illustrated Family. Large
Paper Edition. 1,494 PP-> and Family Regi ter.
Cloth gilt, £2 10s. ; flexible morocco antique, £4 ;
full gilt morocco elegant, £$.
Bible, The Child's. 830 PP.; 220 illustrations.
Demy 4to. Being a Selection from the Holy Bible,
in the words of the Authorised Version. Cloth
elegant, gilt edges, £i is. ; flexible leather binding,
hand tooled, gilt edges, £i los. ; best morocco
elegant or antique, £2 2s.
V Nearly 60,000 copies of "The Child's Bible"
have been already sold.
Shilling Story Books. 9e pp., fcap. Svo,
cloth, lettered. Two Illustrations in each Volume.
Lottie's White Frock, and other Stories.
Helpful Nellie, and other Stories.
Only Just Once, and other Stories.
The Boot on the "Wrong Foot, and other Stories.
Little Content, and other Stories. By EDITH
WAI.FORD.
Little Lizzie. By MARY GILLIES. And other Tales.
Luke Barnicott. By WILLIAM HOWITT. And
other Tales.
My First Cruise. By W. H. KINGSTON. And
other Tales.
The Boat Club. By OLIVER OPTIC. And other
Tales.
The Delft Jug. By SILVERPEN. And other Tales.
The Elchester College .Boys. By Mrs. HENRY
WOOD. And other Tales.
The Little Peacemaker. By MARY HOWITT.
And other Tales.
Jonas on a Farm. By JACOB ABBOTT. And
other Tales.
Shilling Toy Books, In demy 4to, stiff covers.
With full-page Illustrations printed in Colours by
KRON?HEIM.
1. How Cock Sparrow Spent his Christmas.
2. The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.
3. Queer Creatures. Drawn by One of Themselves.
4. w&Jsop's Fables. (21 Plates.)
Shilling Reading Books.
Evenings at Home. In Words of One Syllable.
Cloth, limp, is.
JEsop's Fables. In Words of One Syllable.
Cloth, limp, is.
Bible, The Dore. illustrated by GUSTAVE DORE.
Complete in Two very handsome Volumes. Bound
in cloth gilt, £S ; morocco, gilt edges, £l2 ; best
polished morocco antique extra, ^15.
Bible Dictionary, Cassell's. complete in
One or Two Vols., strongly bound in cloth, 2 is. ; in
One Vol., strongly bound in russia or morocco, 405.
1,159 pp., and nearly 600 Illustrations. Imp. Svo.
Commentary, • Matthew Henry's, com-
plete in Three Volumes. Cloth, lettered, £2 125. 6d.
Demy 410, 3,308 pp. ; numerous Illustrations and
Maps.
Family Prayer Book, Cassell's. cloth,
7s. 6d. j with gilt edges, 95.; morocco antique, 2 is.
398 pp., demy 410.
Mission Life. A Record of Mission Work in
all Parts of the Globe. Volume for 1870, contain
ing about 800 pages letterpress, and numerous
Engravings. Cloth, 53.
Quiver, The. Volume for 1870. 840 pages letter
press, and numerous Engravings. Cloth, lettered,
7s. 6d. ; gilt edges, 8s. 6d.
Eighteenpenny Series Of New and Original
Works. Bound in best cloth, gilt edges, with Four
Coloured Plates by KRONHEIM in each Book.
128 pp., fcap. Svo.
Little Blackcap. And other Stories.
Tommy and his Broom. And other Stories.
Little Red Shoes. And other Stories.
Charlie's Lessons about Animals.
The Broken Promise. And other Stories. By
the Hon. Mrs. GREENE.
The Holidays at Llandudno.
The Hop Garden : A Story of Town and Country
Life.
Algy's Lesson. By S. E. DE MORGAN.
Hid in a Cave ; or, The Lost Child.
Ash.fi eld Farm ; or, Ellen and Robert's First Jour
ney from Home.
Grandmamma's Spectacles. By the Author of
"A Trap to Catch a Sunbeam."
Little Fables for Little Folks.
Flora Selwyn: A Story for .Girls.
Two Shilling; Series Of New and original
Works. Bound in cloth gilt, gilt edges, with Illustra
tions printed in Colours, 1 60 pp., fcap. Svo.
Dr. Savory's Tongs. By Two SISTERS.
The Golden Gate. By H. G B. HUNT.
Love and Duty. By ANNA J. BUCKLAND.
Brave Lisette. And other Stories. ByMissCARLESS.
Beatrice Langton ; or, The Spirit of Obedience.
Owen Carstone : A Story of School Life.
The Boy who "Wondered.
New Stories and Old Legends. By Mrs.
T. K. HERVEY.
The Little Orphan.
The Story of Arthur Hunter and his
First Shilling.
The Story of the Hamiltons.
The Hillside Farm.
BELLE SAUVAGE YARD, LOtfDOtf ; & 596, BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
c— 1270.
CASSELL, FETTER, AND GALI-2N,
Half-Crown Library. 160 pp., extra fcap.
8vo, handsomely bound in cloth gilt, with Illustra
tions and Ornamental Chapter Heads.
Labour Stands on Golden Feet. A Holiday
Story for the Industrial Classes. Translated from
the German of HEINRICH ZSCHOKKE, by Dr.
JOHN YEATS.
Stories of the Olden Time. Selected and
arranged by M. JONES, Author of " The Story of
Captain Cook," &c.
One Trip More. And other Stories. By the
Author of " Mary Powell."
Truly Noble: A Story. ByMadameDECHATELAiN.
Autobiographies of a Lump of Coal and a
Grain of Salt, &o. By ANNIE CAREY.
Love and Life in Norway. By BJORNSTJERNE
BJORNSEN. Translated from the Norwegian by
the Hon. AUGUSTA BETHELL and A. PLESNER,
The Fishing Girl. By BJORNSTJEKNE BJORNSEN.
Translated from the Norwegian by F. RICHARDSON
and A. PLESNER.
The Children's Library. A Series of Volumes
specially prepared for Children. Beautifully Illus
trated, and handsomely bound intlothgilt, uniform
in size and price.
The Children's Sunday Album. By the
Author of " A Trap to Catch a Sunbeam." With
upwards of 100 Engravings. A companion volume
to "The Children's Album," by UNCLE JOHN.
Cloth gilt, 35. 6d.
The Story of Robin Hood. Illustrated with
Eight Plates printed in Colours. Cloth, 35. 6d.
The True Robinson Crusoes. A Series of
Stirring Adventures. Edited by CHAS. RUSSELL.
Cloth gilt, 35. 6d.
The Merrie Heart. A Collection of Nursery
Rhymes and Short Tales. Illustrated with Eight
Coloured Plates from Designs by WALTER CRANE,
and numerous smaller Engravings by J. SWAIN,
from Drawings by ERNEST GRISET, F. BARNARD,
and others. Cloth gilt, 35. 6d.
Off to Sea. By W. H. G. KINGSTON. With Eight
Coloured Plates by KRONHEIM. Cloth gilt, 35. 6d.
The Children's Album. Containing Coloured
Frontispiece and nearly 200 Engravings, with Short
Stories, by UNCLE JOHN. With several Pieces of
Music. Twenty -sixth Thousand. 35. 6d.
Old Burchell's Pocket : A Book for the Young
Folks. By ELIHU BURRITT. 35. 6d.
Peggy, and. other Tales ; including the HISTORY
OF A THREEPENNY BIT, and THE STORY OF A
SOVEREIGN. 35. 6d.
Mince -Pie Island: A Christmas Story for Young
Readers. By R. St. JOHN CORBET. 35. 6d.
Cloudland and Shadowland ; or, Rambles into
Fairy Land with Uncle White Cloud, ss. 6d.
The Queen of the Tournament, and
Butterfly Ball at Maperley Hall. By
the Author of " Mince-Pie Isfand." 35. 6d.
Lily and Nannie at School : A Story for Girls.
By the Author of " The Little Warringtons. " 35. 6d.
The Magic of Kindness ; or, The Wondrous
Story of the Good Huan. By the Brothers MAY-
HEW. With Eight Plates by WALTER CRANE.
Cloth gilt, 35. 6d.
On a Coral Reef: A Sea Story for Boys. By
ARTHUR LOCKER. Cloth gilt, 33. 6d.
King Gab's Story Bag; and the Wondrous
Tales it contained. By HERACLITUS GREY. With
Eight Platai by WALTER CRANE. 33. 6d,
Crocker the Clown: A Tale for Boys. By B.
CLARKE, Editor of " Kind Words." 33. 6d.
Hours of Sunshine : A Series of Poems for
Children. By MATTHIAS BARR, Author of "Little
Willie," && With Sixteen Coloured Plates from
Designs by OSCAR PLETSCH. 35. 6d.
Playing Trades. By HERACLITUS GREY, Author
of " King Gab," &c. With Sixteen Coloured
Plates from Designs by J. BARFOOT. 35. 6d.
The Happy Nursery. By ELLIS A. DAVIDSON.
Containing Designs for Toys, New Games, &c.
Cloth gilt. 35. 6d.
The Angel of the Iceberg. And other Stories.
By JOHN TODD, D.D. (New Edition.) 35. 6d.
Drawing-Room Plays. Gilt edges, 35. 6d.
Famous Regiments of the British Army.
By WILLIAM H. DAVENPORT ADAMS. 320 pp.
Four Illustrations and Coloured Frontispiece. 35. 6d.
The Children's Library— continued.
Will Adams : The Adventures of the First English
man in Japan. By WILLIAM DALTON. 3s. 6d.
Working Women of this Century: I he
Lesson of their Lives. By CLARA LUCAS BALFOUR.
436 pp. 35. 6d.
ONE SYLLABLE SERIES.
Uniform with tlu Children's Library.
sop's Fables, in Words of One Syllable. With
Eight Illustrations printed in Colours by KRON
HEIM. 35. 6d.
Sandford and Merton, in Words of One Syllable.
With Eight Illustrations printed in Colours by
KRONHEIM. 35. 6d.
Reynard the Fox ; the Rare Romance of, and
the Shifts of his Son Reynardine. In Words of
One Syllable. By SAMUEL PHILLIPS DAY. With
Eight Coloured Illustrations by KRONHEIM, from
Designs by ERNEST GRISET. 35. 6d.
The Pilgrim's Progress. Written in Words of
One Syllable by S. PHILLIPS DAY. With Eight
Coloured Illustrations by KRONHEIM. 35. 6d.
The Swiss Family Robinson, in Words of One
Syllable. By the Author of "The Boy's First
Reader." Eight Coloured Illustrations from De
signs by GKISET, CRANE, &c. ss. 6d.
Evenings at Home, in Words of One Syllable.
By the Author of "The Children's Album." Eight
Coloured Illustrations from the Designs of
DOWNARD, BAYES, &c. 35. 6d.
Five Shilling Books.
Home Chat with Our Young Folks. By
CLARA MATEAUX, Author of " The Story of Don
Quixote," &c. &c. With 200 Illustrations.
The Story of Don Quixote. By CLAKA
MATEAUX. Re-narrated in a familiar manner,
especially adapted for Younger Readers, and
Illustrated with numerous Engravings. Crown 8vo.
Robinson Crusoe, Life and Adventures of.
New Edition. Cloth plain, 55. ; full gilt, 6s. 6d.
Swiss Family Robinson. New Edition, com
plete. Cloth plain, 55. ; full gilt, 6s. 6d.
A v oyage to the South Pole. A New Story.
By W. H. G. KINGSTON. Profusely Illustrated.
Scraps of Knowledge for the Little Ones.
By JANET BYRNE, Author of " Picture Teaching."
Picture Teaching for Young and Old. A
Series of Object Lessons Progressively Arranged,
so as to teach the meaning of every term em
ployed. With more than 200 Illustrations.
Picture Natural History. A Series of Plates
numbering upwards of 600, in which the Animal,
Vegetable, and Mineral Kingdoms are classified
in Families. With Descriptive Letterpress. Edited
by the Rev. C. BOUTELL, M.A.
Old Friends and New Faces. Demy 410.
Twenty-four Coloured Plates by KRONHKIM. t
Six Shilling Books.
Esther West. By ISA CRAIG-KNOX. With
Twenty-four full-page Illustrations.
Peoples of the w^orld. By BESSIE PARKES-
BELLOC. With about Fifty Engravings. Cloth
gilt,
Little Songs for Me to Sing. Illustrated by
J. E. MILLAIS, R.A. ; with Music composed ex
pressly for the work by HENRY LESLIE. Dedicated
to Her Royal Highness the PRINCESS OF WALES,
by Special Permission.
The Storyof Captain Cook. By M. JONES.
With about Fifty Engravings. Cloth gilt.
Seven and Sixpenny Books.
Bright Thoughts for the Little Ones.
Twenty-seven Original Drawings by PROCTER.
With Prose and Verse by GRANDMAMMA. Cloth
gilt, gilt edges, 75. 6d.
The Child's Garland of Little Poems:
Rhymes for Little People. With exquisite Illus
trative Borders by GIACOMELLI. Cloth gilt, 100
pp. fcap. 410, ys. 6d.
Favourite Poems by Gifted Bards. Illus
trated, cloth gilt, 73. 6d.
Beauties of Poetry and Gems of Art.
With 32 Illustrations, cloth gilt, 75. 6d.
Jewels Gathered from Painter and Poet.
Cloth gilt, gilt edges, 75. 6d.
BELLE SAUVAGE YARD, LONDON ; 6" 59^, £ROADWAY, NEW YORK.
C ASS ELL, FETTER, AND GALPIN,
BUttonartes.
Bible Dictionary, CasselTs. with 600
Illustrations. One or Two Volumes, 2 is. ; bound
in morocco, 405.
Biographical Dictionary, Cassell's. r, 160
pages, imp. 8vo. Illustrated with Portraits. Cloth,
2is. ; half morocco or calf, 355.
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable;
giving the Derivation, Source, or Origin of Com
mon Phrases, Allusions, and Words that have a
Tale to Tell. By the Rev. Dr. BREWER. Demy
8vo, i,ooopp., cloth, los. 6d.
Dictionary of the English Language, A.
1 6th Edition, 33. 6d.
French and English Pronouncing Dic
tionary. Crown 8vo, 956 pp., cloth, 33. 6d.
German-English and English-German
Pronouncing Dictionary. Crown 8\-o, cloth,
864 pp., 33. 6d.
Latin-English and English-Latin Dic
tionary. By T. R. BEARD, D.D., and C.
BEARD, B.A. Clot'i, 914 pp., 33. 6d.
Illustrated National Dictionary, The,
on the basis of Webster. With 250 Engravings.
Crown i6mo, is.
Etymological Dictionary.
Webster's
3s..6d.
Dictionary of Derivations, The. By Pro
fessor SULLIVAN, LL.D. nth Edition. 2s.
<&trucatumai
Algebra, Elements of.
cloth, is. 6d.
paper covers, is. ;
Anatomical Atlas, The. Designed and
Printed in Colours from Nature. Royal folio, with
Index, 103. 6d.
Arithmetic.
Hudson's Arithmetic for School and College
Use. With a copious Collection of Exercises, and
KEY. is. 6d.
"Wallace's Arithmetic. Cloth, is. 6d.
Arithmetic for the Young. Cloth, is.
Elementary Arithmetic. Simple Rules. 4d.
Key to Ditto, 3d.
Elementary Arithmetic. Compound Rules.
6d. Key to Ditto, 3d.
Book-Keeping, by Single and Double Entry.
is. Ruled Account Books to Ditto, extra, is. 6d.
each Set.
Book-Keeping for the Million. By THEO
DORE JONES. Cloth, 33.
Book-Keeping for Schools. The English
System. By THEODORE JONES. 2s. ; cloth, 33.
Book-Keeping for Schools, The Key to.
2s. ; cloth, 33.
Books for Jones's System, Ruled Sets of. 2s.
Brewer's Series of First Books, price 6d.
each.
Beading and Spelling.
Bible History.
History of England.
Geography.
Science.
Common Things.
French History.
Astronomy.
Chemistry.
Facts and Discoveries.
Grecian History.
The History of Borne.
Brewer's, The Young Tutor. First
Being the First Six Books in this Series, bound in
One Volume. Cloth, 35. 6d.
Brewer's, The Young Tutor, second series.
Being the latter Six Books in this Series, bound in
^ One Volume. Cloth, 33. 6d.
Brewer's Guide to E very-Day Knowledge.
284 pp. , 2s. 6d.
Cassell's Drawing Books, for joiners, Car-
penters, Machinists, Builders, Cabinet Makers,
Stonemasons, Tin-plate Workers, Plumbers, and
Artisans generally.
Linear Drawing. By E. A. DAVIDSON. With 150
Illustrations. 128 pp., extra fcap. 8vo, cloth limp, 25.
Orthographic and Isometrical Projection.
By the same Author. With 40 whole-page Dia
grams. 128 pp., extra fcap. 8vo, cloth limp, as.
Linear Drawing and Projection. The Two
Volumes in One. Cloth, lettered, 33. 6d.
Building Construction, the Elements of, and
Architectural Drawing. By ELLIS A. DAVIDSON'.
With 130 Illustrations. Extra fcap. 8vo, 128 pp.,
cloth limp, 2S.
Systematic Drawing and Shading. By
CHARLES RYAN, Head Master, Leamington School
of Art. With numerous Illustrations and Drawing
Copies. 120 pp., extra fcap. 8vo, cloth limp, 25.
Drawing for Carpenters and Joiners. By
ELLIS A. DAVIDSON. With 253 Illustrations and
Drawing Copies. 104 pp., extra fcap. 8vo, cloth,
3s. 6d.
Practical Perspective. By ELLIS A. DAVIDSON.
With 36 double-page Illustrations. 90 pp., cloth, 35.
Drawing for Machinists. By ELLIS A. DAVID
SON. With nearly 200 Illustrations and Diagrams.
Extra fcap. 8vo, cloth, 45. 6d.
Cassell's Elementary Atlas. 16 Coloured
Maps. Fcap. 410, 6d.
Cassell's Preparatory Atlas. ^ coloured
Maps. Crown 4to, 6d.
Cassell's First School Atlas, coloured
Maps. Crown 4to, is.
Cassell's Handy Atlas. 24 Coloured Maps,
and Index. Crown 8vo, cloth, 2s. 6d.
Cassell's Beginner's Atlas. 24 coloured
Maps, and Index. Crown 4to, cloth, 2s. 6d.
Cassell's Introductory Atlas. 18 Coloured
Maps, and Index. Cloth, 35. 6d.
Cassell's Select Atlas. 23 Coloured Maps,
and Index. Imperial 8vo, cloth, 5s.
Cassell's Comprehensive Atlas. 42 coloured
Maps, and Index. IDS. 6d.
Chemistry. Specially adapted for the use of
Self-Students. Cloth, is.
BELLE SAUVAGE YARD, LONDON / & 596, BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
CASSELL, FETTER, AND GALPIN,
9. Small Hand.
10. Text, Hound, and
Small Hands.
11. Introduction to
Ladies' Hand.
12. Ladies Hand.
13. Commercial Sen
tences.
14. Figures.
IBtmcatumal
Chemistry, Elementary. By the Rev. H.
MARTYN HART. 290 pp., crown 8vo, cloth, 35. 6d.
Copy-Books for Schools, Cassell's. with
Set Copies on every page. 14 sorts. Price ad each.
1. Initiatory Exer
cises.
2. Letters and Com
binations.
3. Short Words.
4. Capitals.
6. Text Hand.
6. Text and Round.
7. Bound Hand.
8. Bound and Small
Hands.
*»* These Books are now very largely used in Schools, and have
been described as the cheapest and best ever published.
Drawing Copies, Cassell's Popular.
Series A. Floral and Vegetable Forms.
Twelve Parts, 6d. each. Twelve Packets, on Card
board, is. each.
Series B. Model Drawing. Twelve Parts, 6d.
each. Twelve Packets, on Cardboard, is. each.
Series C. Landscape Drawing. Twelve Parts,
6d. each. Twelve Packets, on Cardboard, is. each.
Series D. Figure Drawing. Twelve Parts, 6d.
each. Twelve Packets, on Cardboard, is. each.
Series E. Animal Drawing. Twelve Parts, 6d.
each. Twelve Packets, on Cardboard, is. each.
The Drawing Copies, in 6d. Parts, and is. Packets on Cant-
board, may be had in separate Parts or Packets.
Drawing Copies.
Gregory's First Grade Self-teaching Free
hand Outline Drawing Examples. By
CHARLES GREGORY, Wolverhampton (Master of
the Art Classes at the Willenhall Literary Insti
tute, &c. &c.). In Two Packets, each containing
Twenty-four Examples, on Card, price is. per
Packet. Enlarged for black-board, 25. 6d. per
Packet.
Gregory's Outlines from Models used in
Schools, on Twelve Cards, is. ; and enlarged
for black-board, 25.
Gregory's Outlines from Flowers. Twelve
large Cards, in Packet, is. 6d.
Gregory's Easy Drawing Examples. Twenty-
four Cards, in Packet, is. ; enlarged for black
board, 2S. 6d.
First Examples in Freehand Drawing.
By WALTER SMITH. Price 2s.
The School of Art Model and Object
Drawing Book. By WALTER SMITH, Head
Master of the Leeds School of Art and Science.
Price 35.
English Grammar. By Professor SULLIVAN,
LL.D. 85th Edition, is.
Etymology, a Manual of. By Professor
SULLIVAN, LL.D. 3rd Edition. lod.
English Spelling and Reading Book.
With upwards of Fifty Illustrations, cloth, is.
Euclid, Cassell's. Edited by Professor WAL
LACE, A.M., of the Glasgow University, is. ; cloth,
is. 6d. Key to Ditto, 4d.
French, Cassell's Lessons in. By Professor
FASQUELLE. New Edition, Revised and Improved.
By Professor DE LOLME. Parts I. and II. in
paper, 2s. ; cloth, each 2s. 6cl. Complete in One
Volume, 1 88 pp., 43. 6d.
French, Key to the Exercises in Cassell's
Lessons in. is.; cloth, is. 6d.
French, Shilling Lessons in. By Professor
DE LOLME. is. ; cloth, is. 6d.
— continued.
French, Sixpenny Lessons in, 6d.
French Manual. By Professor DE LOLME.
Cloth, 35.
French and English Correspondence for
Boys. 2s. 6d.
French and English Correspondence for
Young Ladies. 2s. 6d.
French and English Commercial Corre
spondence. 2s. 6d.
French Reader, The. New Edition. By Pro
fessor DE LOLME. Paper, 2s. ; cloth, 2s. 6d.
Galhraith and Hau^hton's Scientific
Manuals. Cloth, red edges.
Arithmetic. Cloth, 3s. 6d.
Plane Trigonometry, 25 6d.
Euclid. Elements I., II., III. 25. 6d.
Euclid. Books IV., V., VI. 25. 6d.
Mathematical Tables. 35. 6d.
Mechanics. Cloth, lettered. 3$. 6d.
Optics. 2s. 6d.
Hydrostatics. 35. 6d
Astronomy. 55.
Steam Engine. 35 6d.
Algebra. Third Edition. Part I., 23. 60. ; com
plete, 75. 6d.
Tides and Tidal Currents. New Edition,
with Tidal Cards. 35.
Natural Philosophy. With 160 Illustrations.
3s. 6d.
The Three Kingdoms of Nature. With 233
Illustrations. 53.
Geography, Ancient, Modern, and Sacred.
By Professor SULLIVAN, LL.D. is.
Geography Generalised ; with Maps and illus
trations. By Professor SULLIVAN, LL.D. 2s.
German Reader, The International, for
the Use of Colleges and Schools. By EDWARD A.
OPPEN, of Hoileybury College. 45. 6d.
German, Lessons in. By w. H. WOODBURY.
Parts I. and II., 2s. ; cloth, each 2s. 6d. Complete
in One Volume, cloth, 45. 6d.
German, Key to Lessons in. is.; doth, is. 6d.
German, Sixpenny Lessons in. By E. A.
OPPEN, of Haileybury College. 6d.
Latin Reader, The. Adapted to "Cassell's
Latin Grammar." Cloth, is. 6d.
The Literary Class Book. By Professor
SULLIVAN, LL.D. nth Edition. 2s. 6d.
Natural History of Commerce, The.
By J. YEATS, -LL.D. Intended for the study of
Young Merchants, Manufacturers, and Business
Men. 452 pp., crown 8vo, cloth, 55.
Natural Philosophy, the Elements of.
For the use of Schools. By the Rev. SAMUEL
HAUGHTON, M.D., F.R.S., Fellow of Trinity
College, Dublin. With 160 Illustrations. Cloth,
3s. 6d.
Natural Philosophy, in Easy Lessons.
By Professor TYNDALL, F.R.S. Illustrated. New
Edition, 2s. 6d.
Natural Philosophy, Hand-book of.
Cloth, is.
BELLE SAUVAGE YARD, LONDON ; & 596, BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
CASSELL, FETTER, AND GALPIN,
25twcatumal
Popular Education and School-keeping.
By Professor SULLIVAN, LL.D. Second Edition. 2s.
Popular Educator, CasselTs New. Revised
to the Present Date, with numerous Additions.
Vols. I., II., III., IV., V., and VI. now ready,
best cloth gilt, 6s. each; complete in Three Vols.,
half-calf, £2 ios.
Primary Series. An entirely new and original
Series of Volumes, specially prepared for the use of
Elementary, National, and other Schools, by first-
class practical men.
Elementary Arithmetic : Simple Rules. 4d.
Key to ditto, 3d.
Elementary Arithmetic. Compound Rules.
6d. Key to ditto, 3d.
Elementary British History. 6d.
Elementary Geography. 4d.
England at Home : An Elementary Text-Book
of Geography, Manufacture, Trade, and Commerce.
is.
Our Bodies : An Elementary Text-Book of Human
Physiology, is.
Our Houses, and what they are Made of. is.
Our Food. is.
Our First Grammar : an Elementary Text-Book, is.
The Uses of Plants in Food, Arts, and
Commerce. With Illustrations, is.
Vegetable Physiology, in Easy Lessons, with
numerous Illustrations, is. 6d.
The Animal Kingdom. With abundant Illus
trations. Double Vol., cloth, lettered, 200 pp. as.
Primary * Series— continued.
Bight Lines in their Hight Places; or,
Geometry without Instruments. With Drawings on
Wood by the Author, is.
CASSELL'S STANDARD READERS.
The Boy's First Reader. Standard I. With
easy Spelling Exercises. Illustrated. 4d.
The Boy's Reader. Standard II. Containing
Lessons in Reading and Spelling. With many
Illustrations. 4 !.
The Girl's First Reader. Standard I. With
easy Spelling Exercises. Illustrated. 4d.
The Girl's Reader. Standard II. Containing
Lessons in Reading and Spelling. Illustrated, id.
The Boy's and Giri's Reader. Standard III.
Adapted to the Requirements of the Revised Code.
Cloth, 7d.
The Boy's and Girl's Reader. Standard IV. gd.
The Poetical Reader. Standard V. 208 pp.,
fcap. 8vo., cloth, is.
The Explanatory Reader. Standard VI.
Cloth, is.
Science Popularly Explained, cioth, y- 6d-
The Spelling-Book Superseded. By Pro
fessor SULLIVAN, LL.D. is. 4d.
Upwards of Four Hundred Words, spelled
in Two or More Ways by different Authors ; with
an Attempt to Settle their Orthography. By Pro
fessor SULLIVAN, LL.D. lod.
Fables. With numerous Illustrations
from Original Designs by ERNEST GRISET. Im
perial 8vo, 236 pp., cloth gilt, gilt edges, 2is.
After Ophir. By Captain A. F. LINDLEY.
Illustrated with about Sixty Engravings. Cloth
gilt, 75. 6d.
Arms and Armour. By CHARLES BOUTELL,
M.A., Author of "English Heraldry." With
numerous Engravings. 75. 6d.
Beauties of Poetry and Gems of Art.
With Thirty-two Illustrations by J. C. HORSLEY,
R.A., J. TENNIEL, C. W. COPE: R.A., PICKERS-
GILL, &c. With Ornamental Borders, &c. 7s. 6d.
Book of Historical Costumes, The. with
96 full-page Coloured Engravings. 505.
British Army, The History of the. By
Sir SIBBALD DAVID SCOTT, Bart. Dedicated, by
special permission, to the Queen. Two Vols., 1,178
pp., demy 8vo, cloth, £2 2s.
Bunyan. The Pilgrim's Progress, cioth,
75. 6d. ; gilt edges, IDS. 6d. ; morocco antique, 2 is.
Bunyan. The Holy War. uniform with
above, and same price.
Chefs-d'oeuvre of the Industrial Arts.
With 200 Illustrations. By PHILIPPE BURTY.
Edited by W. CHAFFERS, F.S.A. Cloth, i6s. ;
extra cloth gilt, 2 is.
Crusoe, Life and Adventures of. with
TOO Illustrations by MATT MORGAN, HARRISON
\VEIR, R. P. LEITCH, &c. Cloth, 75. 6d. ; full gilt,
los. 6d. ; morocco, 2 is.
Dore Gallery, The. containing 250 of the
finest Drawings of GUSTAVE DORE. Letterpress
and Memoir by EDMUND OLLIER. Cloth gilt,
£$ 55. ; full morocco elegant, ;£io.
Dore Bible (see Biblical Literature).
Dora's Milton's Paradise Lost, illustrated
with full-page Drawings by GUSTAVE DORE. Cloth,
£$ ; best polished morocco, gilt extra, £10.
Dora's Dante's Inferno, cioth1 £2 ios. ;
morocco antique, with gilt edges, £4 45. ; full mo
rocco, £6 6s.
Dora's Dante's Purgatory and Paradise.
Uniform with the INFERNO, and same price.
Dora's Don Quixote. With 400 Illustrations.
Cloth, £i ios. ; half morocco, £2 55. ; full mo
rocco antique, £$ ios.
Dor6's Atala. By CHATEAUBRIAND. Cloth,
£2 25. ; morocco gilt, £4 45.
Dore's La Fontaine's Fables, with sefuii-
page and many other Engravings. Cloth, £i ios.;
half morocco, £2 55. ; full morocco antique,
£z Ios-
Dore's, The History of Croquemitaine,
and the Times of Charlemagne. With
nearly 200 Engravings. Cloth, £i is.
Dore's Fairy Realm, illustrated with 25 full-
page Engravings by GUSTAVE DORE. Cloth gilt,
gilt edges, £i is.
Dore's, The Adventures of Munchausen.
WTith 31 full-page Engravings. Cloth, ios. 6d.
BELLE SAUVAGE YARD, LONDON; & 596, BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
CASSELL, FETTER^ AND GALPIN,
Dora's, The Leg-end of the Wandering
Jew. Folio, 153. ; extra gilt, 2is.
English Heraldry. By CHARLES BOUTELL,
M. A. , Author of " Arms and Armour," &c. With
460 Engravings. Cloth, gilt top, 75. 6d.
Favourite Poems by Gifted Bards.
Illustrated with 24 Engravings by CORBOULD,
THOMAS, SELOUS, and other eminent Artists.
Cloth, gilt edges, 75. 6d.
Foxe's Book of Martyrs, illustrated with
181 Engravings. Plain cloth, I2s. ; full gilt cloth,
gilt edges, 155.
Goethe Gallery. A Series of beautiful Photo
graphs from KAULBACH'S Drawings of the Heroines
of Goethe. Handsomely bound in morocco, 423.
Goethe'S Heroines. A Series of 21 exquisite
Engravings on Steel. Cloth, lettered, £7 7s.
Greece, The Scenery of. By w. LINTON.
Fifty exquisitely beautiful full-page Steel Engrav
ings. Cloth, lettered, gilt edges, 425.
Gulliver's Travels. By DEAN SWIFT. Illus
trated with 88 Engravings by MORTEN. With an
Introduction, Annotations, and a LIFE OF SWIFT,
by J. F. WALLER, LL.D., M.R.I. A. Imperial
8vo, 400 pp., plain cloth, 7s. 6d. ; full gilt cloth,
gilt edges, los. 6d. ; full morocco antique, 2 is.
Illustrated Readings, vol. i., cloth gilt,
7s. 6d. ; full gilt, gilt edges, los. 6d. Vol. II.,
cloth, 7s. 6d. ; full gilt, gilt edges, IDS. 6d. Or the
Two Vols. in One, cloth, I2s. 6d.; half morocco, 155.
Illustrated Travels : a Record of Discovery,
Geography, and Adventure. Edited by H. W.
BATES. Assistant-Secretary of the Royal Geographi
cal Society. V ;!s. I. aud II., each, cloth, 153. ;
cloth, extra gilt, gilt 'edges, i8s. Or, the Two
Vols. in One, cloth, 253. ; best cloth, gilt edges,
313. 6d. ; Roxburgh binding, 35*.
Illustrations, Millais'. A Collection of 80
Drawings on Wood by JOHN EVERETT MILLAIS,
R.A. Cloth, gilt edges, i6s.
Insect World, The. From the French of
Louis FIGUIER. With 570 Illustrations. Edited
by E. W. JANSEN, Lib.E.S. Cloth, lettered, i6s. ;
extra cloth gilt, 2 is.
Jewels Gathered from Painter and Poet.
Cloth, gilt edges, 73. 6d.
Bacon's Guide to America and the
Colonies. With Maps, &c. Cloth, 2s. 6d.
Civil Service, Guide to Employment in
the. Revised to the Present Time. Cloth, 2s. 6d.
Civil Service, Guide to the Indian. By
A. C. EWALD, F.S.A. Cloth, 43. 6d.
Guide tO America for the Capitalist, Tourist,
or Emigrant. By G. W. BACON, F.R.S. With
Coloured Map, is.
Hand-Books, Cassell's Popular, cioth,
is. each ; free by post for 13 stamps.
Art of Conversation, i Ruled Account Books to
Book - Keeping, by '• do. .extra, is. 6d. each set
Single and Double Entry, j Business.
i — continued.
Log of the Fortuna, The. By Captain A.
F. LINDLEY. Fcap. 4to, 256 pp., cloth gilt, 73. 6d.
Ocean World, The. From the French of
Louis FIGUIER. Edited by C. O. G. NAPIER,
F.G.S. Cloth, lettered, i6s. ; extra cloth gilt, 2is.
Old Friends with New Faces, with 24
full-page Illustrations, beautifully printed in Colours
by KRONHEIM. 55.
Pictures from English Literature, with
20 full-page Illustrations by J. C. HORSLEY, R.A.,
W. F. YEAMES, A.R.A., MARCUS STONE, J.
GILBERT, H. K. BROWNE, W. CAVE THOMAS,
LAWSON, HUGHES, BARNARD, FILDES, &c. &c.
The Text by Dr. WALLER. Crown 4to, cl. gilt, 2is.
Poems and Pictures. Very handsomely bound
in extra cloth gilt, 2is.
Reptiles and Birds. From the French of
Louis FIGUIER. Edited by PARKER GILMORE,
Esq. 1 8s. ; extra cloth gilt, 235.
Sacred Poems, The Book of. Edited by the
Rev. R. H. BAYNES, M.A. CL, plain, 75. 6d. ; cl.,
extra gilt, gilt edges, los. 6d. ; morocco antique, 2 is.
Schiller Gallery, The. A Series of choice
Photographs from KAULBACH'S Paintings of
Scenery from SCHILLER. ,£5 53.
Selection of One Hundred of the Finest
Engravings by the late G. H. Thomas.
Cloth gilt, 2is.
Thorwaldsen's Triumphal Entry of
Alexander the Great into Babylon,
Twenty-Two Plates, folio. 423.
Vegetable World, The. with 471 illustra
tions. From the French of Louis FIGUIER.
Edited by C. O. G. NAPIER, F.G.S. Cloth, let
tered, 1 6s. ; extra cloth gilt, 2 is.
Vicar of Wakefield, The, and POEMS.
Beautifully printed on Toned Paper, and Illustrated
with 108 Engravings. In one handsome imperial 8vo
Volume, 378 pp., bound in cloth, "js. 6d. ; full gilt
cl., withgilt edges, los. 6d. ; full morocco antique, 2 is.
World before the Deluge, The. with 233
Illustrations. From the French of Louis FIGUIER.
Edited by H. W. BRISTOW, F.R.S. Cloth, let
tered, 1 6s. ; extra cloth gilt, 2 is.
World Of the Sea. With 18 Coloured Plates,
and numerous Wood Engravings. Cl., lettered, 2 is.
Gardening.
Health & Physiology.
How to Colour a
Photograph in Oil or
Water.
Investments.
Letter-Writing.
Natural Philosophy.
Photography.
Railway Situations.
Hand-books— continued.
Chemistry.
Chess and Draughts.
Domestic Pets.
Domestic Recipes.
Drawing - Boom
Magic.
Elocution <fc Oratory.
Emergencies.
Etiquette for Ladies and
Gentlemen.
Household Guide, The—
Vol. I., with Two Coloured Plates, and 150 Illustrations.
Cloth gilt, 6s.
Vol. II., with Two Coloured Plates, and numerous
Illustrations. Cloth gilt, 6s.
Thames and Tweed — New Work on
Fishing. By GEORGE ROOFER, Author of
"Flood, Field, and Forest." 2s. 6d.
BELLE SAW AGE YARD, LONDON ; & 596, BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
CASSELL, PETTER, AND GALPIN,
England, Illustrated History of. com
plete in Eight Volumes, bound in cloth, 6s. and
7s. 6d. each. Ditto, Four Volumes, strongly bound
in half-calf, with full gilt backs and cloth sides,
£4- The TONED PAPER EDITION,
Volumes I., II., III., IV., and V. Cloth,
each 93.
A Poet - Hero, By COUNTESS VON BOTHMER.
Being a Biography of the German War-Poet,
Theodore Korner. Cloth, los. 6d.
Appropriation of the Eailways by the
State. By ARTHUR JOHN WILLIAMS, Barrister
at Law. The People's Edition. Crown 8vo, is.
Arms and Armour, in Antiquity and the Middle
Ages ; also a Descriptive Notice of Modern Wea
pons. Translated from the French of M. P.
LACOMBE, by CHARLES BOUTELL, M.A., Author
of " English Heraldry." With Seventy-one Illus
trations. Cloth, gilt top, 7s. 6d.
Belle Sauvage Library, The. Price 35. 6d.
per Vol. , cloth, fcap . 8vo.
1. Pulpit Table Talk. By DEAN RAMSEY, M.A.
2. The Search, for the G-ral. ByJuLiAGooDARu.
3. Sermons for Boys. By the Rev. ALFRED
BARKY, D.D., Principal of King's College.
4. The Life of Bernard Palissy, of Saintes.
By HENRY MORLEY.
5. The Young Man in the Battle of Life.
By Dr. LANDELS.
BuiTitt, Elihu. Thoughts and Notes at Home
and Abroad. Cloth, 6s.
CaSSell's Magazine. Vol. I., New Series, con-
taining "Man and Wife," by WILKIE COLLINS.
600 pp. of Letterpress and Engravings. Cloth,
gilt lettered, 6s. 6d.
Daybreak in Spain. By the Rev. Dr. WYLIE.
Being the first account that has yet appeared of
the extraordinary reformation now going on in
Spain, written with all the power and truthfulness
of an eye-witness. Crown 8vo, 424 pp., with
Twelve Illustrations. 6s.
History of the Pianoforte. By EDGAR
BRINSMEAD. Illustrated. Cloth. 35.
TSFatutal
Cassell's Brehm's Book of Birds.
Translated from the Text of Dr. BREHM by T.
RYMER JONES, F.R.S. Monthly Parts, 7d., and
Volumes, crown 4to, cloth plain, 75. 6d. ; extra
cloth gilt, los. 6d. each. Vol I. contains Ten
Coloured Plates and 384 pp. letterpress, with
numerous Illustrations.
Figuier Series, The.
The "World before the Deluge. With 233
Illustrations. Cloth, lettered, i6s. ; extra cloth
gilt, ^i is.
The Vegetable "World. With 471 Illustrations.
Cloth, lettered, i6s. ; extra cloth gilt, £1 is.
The Ocean "World. With 427 Illustrations. Cloth,
lettered, i6s. ; extra cloth gilt, £i is.
The Insect World. With 576 Illustrations. Cloth,
lettered, i6s. ; extra cloth gilt, X,i is.
Birds and Reptiles. With 307 Illustrations.
Cloth, lettered, i8s. ; extra cloth gilt, £i 35.
England, History Of, from the First Invasion
by the Romans to the Accession of William and
Mary in 1688. By JOHN LINGARD, D.D. In
Ten Volumes. Cloth lettered, 355.
History of the British Army. By sir s.
D. SCOTT, Bart. Two Vols. 100 Plates. 425.
Hood's Works. Vols. L, u., in., and iv.,
each containing 464 pp., and numerous Illustrations.
Cloth, 5s. each.
Little Gem Series, The. Bound in cloth, 6d.
each ; red edges, gd. each.
Shall -we Know One Another ? By the Rev.
J. C. RYLE.
The Voice of Time. By J. STROUD.
Home Religion. By the Rev. W. B. MACKENZIE,
M.A.
Penny Library of Popular Authors.
1. Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Price id.
2. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Price id.
Practical Poultry Keeper, The. By
L. WRIGHT. Fourth Edition. With 36 Plain
Illustrations. Cloth, 55. ; with 12 Coloured ditto,
ditto, crown 8vo, 6s. 6d.
Quiz, Sketches by. Illustrated by "PHIZ."
Cloth, 35. 6d.
San Juan Water Boundary Question.
By VISCOUNT MILTON, M.P. CL, lettered, IDS. 6d.
The Stock Feeder's Manual. By Dr.
CAMERON. Cloth, 53.
Woman: Her Position and Power.
By W. LANDELS, D.D. Being Essays on the
social and moral position of Woman, her influ
ence, duties, &c. Cloth, lettered, 53.
Wonders, Library of. miiy illustrated. A
Series of Gift Books and School Rewards. Cloth
gilt, gilt edges, each 55.
"Wonders of Animal Instinct.
"Wonders of Bodily Strength and Skill.
"Wonders in Acoustics.
"Wonderful Balloon Ascents.
"Wonderful Escapes.
"Wonders of Architecture.
World of Wonders, The. with 130 uiustra-
tions. Cloth, 73. 6d ; full gilt, IDS. 6d.
The Transformations of Insects,
Myriapoda, Arachnida, and Crustacea.) By P.
MARTIN DUNCAN, F.R.S., Secretary of the Geo
logical Society, and Professor of Geology, King's
College, London. Being an Adaptation, for
English readers, of M. EM ILK BLANCHARD'S
"Metamorphoses, Mceurs et Instincts des In-
sectes ; " and a compilation from the works of
NEWPORT, CHARLES DARWIN, SPENSE BATE,
FRITZ MULLER, PACKARD, and others. Illus
trated with 50 full-page, and numerous other
highly-finished Engravings. Royal 8vo, 500 pp.,
handsomely bound in cloth gilt, i6s.
World Of the Sea. Translated from the French
of MOQUIN TANDON, by the Rev. H. M. HART.
With 1 8 Coloured and Tinted Plates, and nume
rous WoodjEngravings. Best cloth, lettered, 2 is.
BELLE SAUVAGE YARD, LONDON; 6- 596, BROADWAY, NEW YORK.
CASSELL, PETTER, AND GALPIN,
Natural History, Picture. Edited by the
Rev. C. BOUTELL, M.A. With 600 Illustrations.
Cloth, lettered, 55.
antr
BaiT's Poems. New and Revised Edition. Clothes.
Book of Sacred Poems, with about 200 nius-
trations. Edited by the Rev. R. H. BAYNES, M.A.
Cloth, 75. 6d.; full gilt, IDS. 6d. ; morocco, 2 is.
Bright Thoughts for the Little Ones.
With Twenty-seven Original Drawings by PROCTER.
Cloth, lettered, gilt edges, 75. 6d.
Child's Garland of Little Poems, The.
With exquisite Illustrative Borders by GIACOMELLI.
Cloth gilt, 75. 6d.
Favourite Poems by Gifted Bards. With
Twenty-four Illustrations. Cloth, gilt edges, 75. 6d.
Golden Leisures. By W. GORDON SMYTHIES. is.
Hours Of Sunshine. By MATTHIAS BARR,
Author of "Little Willie," &c. With Sixteen
Coloured Plates. Cloth gilt, 35. 6d.
Jewels Gathered from Painter and Poet.
Cloth, gilt edges, 75. 6d.
STrabei antr
Illustrated Travels: a Record of Discovery, Geo
graphy, and Adventure. Edited by H. W. BATES,
Assistant - Secretary of the Royal Geographical
Society. Vols. I. and II., each, cloth, 155.; cloth.
extra gilt, gilt edges, i8s. Or, the Two Vols. in
One, cloth, lettered, 253.; best cloth gilt., 315. 6d.;
bound in Roxburgh, 353.
Natural J^istorg— continued.
Natural History, CasselTs Popular.
Complete in Two Volumes, cloth, 305. Do., Two
Volumes, half-calf, full-gilt baok, 453. Do., Two
Volumes, half-morocco, full-gilt, 505. Do., with
Coloured Illustrations, Four Volumes, cloth, 425.
tlje Brama.
Poets, CasselTs Three - and - Sixpenny
Editions of the. In fcap. 8vo, printed on
Toned Paper, elegantly bound in cloth, extra gold
and colours, 35. 6d. each ; best morocco, inlaid with
enamel letter-piece, 6s. 6d. each. LONGFELLOW ;
SCOTT ; BYRON ; MOORE ; WORDSWORTH ;
COWPER ; MILTON ; POPE ; BURNS ; THE CAS
KET OF GEMS ; BOOK OF HUMOROUS POETRY ;
BALLADS, SCOTTISH AND ENGLISH ; LIVES OF
THE BRITISH POETS.
Poems and Pictures. With 100 Illustrations.
Cloth gilt, gilt edges, 2 is.
Shakespeare, CasselTs Illustrated, with
500 Illustrations. Imperial 8vo. Edited by CHARLES
and.MARY COWDEN CLARKE. Vol. I. (COMEDIES),
12s. ;Vol. II. (HISTORICAL PLAYS), IDS. 6d. ; Vol.
III. (TRAGEDIES), I2s.6d. The Complete Work, in
Three Volumes, cloth lettered, uniform, £l 155.
Half morocco, £2 IDS. The Separate Plays may
be had, price is. each.
North-West Passage by Land, The.
By Viscount MILTON, M.P., &c., and W.
B. CHEADLE, M.A., M.D. Cantab., F.R.G.S.
2 is. Ditto, ditto, smaller edition, complete, 6s.
Thoughts and Notes at Home and
Abroad. By ELIHU BURRITT. Crown 8vo,
320 pp., cloth, 6s.
^ubltcattons,
BOOK OF BIRDS. Monthly, 7d.
CASSELL'S MAGAZINE. Monthly, 6d.;
Weekly, id.
BRITISH POETS. Monthly, 6d.
FAMILY BIBLE. Monthly, 7d.; Weekly, ijd.
POPULAR EDUCATOR. Monthly, 7d.;
Weekly, i£d.
TECHNICAL EDUCATOR. Monthly, 7d.;
Weekly, i4d.
DORE DON QUIXOTE. Monthly, 7d.;
Weekly, i4d.
HOUSEHOLD GUIDE. Monthly, 7d.;
Weekly, i^d.
THE QUIVER. Monthly, 6d.; Weekly, id.
CHILD'S BOOK OF SONG AND
PRAISE. Monthly, 6d. ; Weekly, id.
MATTHEW HENRY'S COMMEN
TARY. Monthly, 7d.; Weekly, i|d.
DORE BIBLE. Monthly, 2s. 6d.
ILLUSTRATED TRAVELS. Monthly, is.
HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Monthly, 7a.j
Weekly, i*d.
RAILWAY TIME TABLES AND
TRADES DIRECTORY. Monthly, 2d.
HENRY LESLIE'S MUSICAL ANNUAL for
THI/HOUSEHOLD RECORD for 1871. Paper, is. ;
cloth, is. 6d.
MORTON'STARMER'S ALMANACK for 1871. is.
CASSELL'S ILLUSTRATED ALMANACK for
1871. 6d.
THE SILVER BOW: Being THE QUIVER Christmas
Annual for 1870. 6d.
Now Ready, price as. 6d.
Cassell, Petier, & Galpiris New Illustrated Catalogue for 1870:
Containing nearly ONE HUNDRED SELECTED ENGRAVINGS, from Designs by DOR£, GRISET, T. MORTEN, W. CAVE
THOMAS, Miss EDWARDS, G. H. THOMAS, F. BARNARD, &c. Printed on Fine Paper. Folio, 'with Coloured Frontispiece,
%* Por detailed particulars of all the Works inserted in the foregoing List, consult CASSELL,
PETTER, and GALPIN'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE, supplied by all Booksellers, and
forwardej post free by the Publishers.
BELLE SAUSAGE YARD, LONDON / & 59$, BROADWAY^ NEW YORK.
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11